Commissioner Jozef Síkela, in a 14 July 2026 answer to a parliamentary question, acknowledged that Chinese companies may be selected to implement EU-funded Global Gateway projects, particularly under indirect management by partner countries, and said the Commission is analysing such occurrences and reflecting on possible solutions. The answer, responding to a question from MEP Jorge Martín Frías (PfE), marks the first time the Commission has publicly admitted the possibility of Chinese involvement in the flagship investment strategy designed to counter Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
Síkela stressed that the Commission does not directly entrust Chinese companies with Global Gateway implementation, but noted that under indirect management, pillar-assessed partners apply their own procurement rules, which can lead to contracts being awarded to firms established in China. The Commission does not currently require data on beneficial owners or controlling entities. The answer references ongoing efforts to tighten transparency: the 2024 Financial Regulation allows the Commission to restrict access to award procedures on security or public order grounds, and the proposed Performance Regulation would require pillar-assessed partners to transmit information on competitive procedures and recipients into a single EU data architecture. For the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, the Commission's proposal for the Global Europe instrument would allow it to impose eligibility restrictions on funds implemented under indirect management where strategic interests are at stake.
The answer provides no concrete figures on the number of affected projects or total euros involved, nor does it specify steps taken since 2023 to identify them, as requested by the MEP. It refers instead to the Financial Transparency System, which publishes annual contract data including contractor nationality based on establishment location. The response signals a policy orientation toward gradually tightening procurement oversight and eligibility rules, but stops short of immediate measures, leaving the issue to be addressed in the next EU budget cycle. Institutional follow-up is expected as the Commission's analysis continues and as the proposed Performance Regulation and Global Europe instrument move through the legislative process.