European Union commissioners decided on January 29 to terminate senior Estonian EU official Henrik Hololei's contract in Brussels, following findings of an internal investigation into alleged administrative breaches, two EU officials said.

Once regarded as one of Brussels’ most formidable powerbrokers, Hololei’s distinguished career in the European civil service came to an ignominious end following the exposure of the so-called "free flights" scandal. His downfall was precipitated by revelations that, between 2015 and 2021, he had accepted numerous luxury business-class flights and holidays paid for by the State of Qatar and its national carrier, Qatar Airways.

The probe into Hololei was prompted by confidential findings from a 2023 inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office, which concluded he had exchanged confidential details about a major aviation deal with Qatar. French newspaper Libération reported allegations of accepting gifts.

The decision to take action against a senior official was announced during the College of Commissioners readout by Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, without naming Hololei.

"The staff member concerned breached the applicable rules," Virkkunen said, adding the College decided "on appropriate and commensurate measures to apply," referring to the decision to terminate Hololei's contract in February, one of the EU officials said, speaking with Euroactiv.

In 2024, OLAF recommended that the Commission launch its own disciplinary procedure, which in 2025 found evidence of unauthorised acceptance of gifts, conflicts of interest and breaches of confidentiality, two people familiar with the matter said.

Hololei, a longtime figure in the EU executive and in his native Estonia, had most recently been reassigned as a hors classe adviser in the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, with a pay cut.

The Commission had previously faced criticism for failing to act in the Hololei case, particularly after EU prosecutors identified grounds to open a criminal investigation into corruption allegations in late 2024.

One EU official said the Commission was unaware of the criminal probe and therefore could proceed with its own disciplinary process.

Although he initially attempted to defend his conduct by citing loose internal regulations that allowed Directors-General to self-assess conflicts of interest, the ensuing public outcry rendered his position untenable.

He was forced to resign his top-tier post in March 2023, retreating to a lower-profile advisory role whilst investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) gathered pace.