Brussels, 02/06/2022 (Agence Europe) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) celebrated its first anniversary on 1 June. Between June and December 2021 alone, ongoing investigations by the EPPO estimate fraud against the EU budget of around €5.4 billion, according to EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. “The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is plugging a hole in the European budget”, he said on 1 June. The work of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has already resulted in the freezing of €259 million since its launch. In April, the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Laura Kövesi, presented the first report on its activities in 2021 (see EUROPE 12935/13). Investigations have so far led to 4 convictions and 28 indictments, while 929 investigations are ongoing and more than 4,000 criminal offences have been reported to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. (LM)