FILE PHOTO: European Trade Commissioner-designate Phil Hogan of Ireland speaks as he attends his hearing before the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium September 30, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman
DUBLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Phil Hogan quit as the EU's Trade Commissioner on Wednesday after days of pressure over allegations he breached COVID-19 guidelines during a trip to his native Ireland, saying it had become clear the controversy was a distraction from his work.
The forced exit of a heavyweight from the bloc's executive will be a credibility blow for the team led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for less than a year.
