03/12/2020 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission sent reasoned opinions to Ireland and Romania on Thursday 3 December for failing to communicate their measures to transpose into national law the PIF Directive on the protection of the EU’s financial interests, which harmonises the definitions, sanctions and limitation periods for criminal offences affecting the EU’s financial interests. The transposition of the PIF Directive is one of the preconditions for the operational start of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (see EUROPE 12290/20), in which Romania participates. On Wednesday, the Commission again called on Member States to finalise as soon as possible the final preparations for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which was originally scheduled to become operational at the end of November 2020 (see EUROPE 12614/13). Both countries now have two months to respond, failing which they will be referred to the EU Court of Justice. (MF)