SolarPower Europe expels Huawei amid EU bribery probe

SolarPower Europe has removed Chinese tech giant Huawei as a member, marking the first time the Brussels-based solar industry association has taken such action, an SPE spokesperson has told pv magazine. The board made the decision on April 28, 2025, and “the procedure is continuing as laid out in our statutes,” said the spokesperson.

Huawei has declined to comment on the matter. The move follows the European Commission’s recent decision to cut off contact with trade associations representing Huawei’s interests, citing an ongoing corruption investigation.

“The decision comes in the context of the European Commission’s decision to restrict meetings with associations who have Huawei in their membership,” said the SPE spokesperson in an email.

The Chinese PV inverter supplier has previously denied wrongdoing, stating that it maintains “a zero-tolerance approach towards bribery and corruption.” Several other EU industry groups, including DigitalEurope and BusinessEurope, have also moved to suspend Huawei in recent weeks, according to Politico.