Belgian police have raided the European Commission building as part of an investigation into possible irregularities in property sales, the Financial Times reports.

Two people familiar with the operation said that searches were carried out on Thursday morning at various Commission offices in Brussels, including the budget department.

According to the sources, the investigation concerns the sale of EU property that took place during the previous mandate of the commission, when Johannes Hahn was budget commissioner. Hahn was responsible for managing the EU's €1 trillion budget until 2024. After his term ended, he was appointed EU special envoy for Cyprus.

The investigation is being led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and concerns 23 buildings that were acquired by the Federal Holding and Investment Company (SFPIM), Belgium's “Sovereign Wealth Fund,” in 2024 for €900 million. At the time, the commission had said the sale had been carried out in accordance with EU financial regulations.

The EPPO can confirm that it is carrying out evidence-gathering activities in the context of the ongoing investigation, said EPPO spokesperson Tine Hollevoet. They cannot provide any further information at this stage in order not to jeopardize the ongoing procedures and their outcome, she added.

A European Commission spokesperson said the sale of the buildings had been carried out in accordance with established procedures and protocols and that they are confident that the process had been carried out properly.

The spokesperson added that the EU executive body will fully cooperate with EPPO and the Belgian authorities in this matter.