At the Tuesday 23 session of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), the role and effectiveness of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) were discussed during an evaluation of the conformity of the measures adopted by the Member States to adapt their systems to the enhanced cooperation linked to its creation. Speeches by Ana Gallego Torres, Director General for Justice (DG JUST) at the European Commission, and Laura Kövesi, Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), highlighted the difficulties and progress made by the EPPO in its mission to protect the EU’s financial interests.
Ms Gallego Torres underlined the European Commission’s commitment to supporting EPPO, recognising its essential role in the fight against crime affecting EU finances.
However, she also mentioned the obstacles encountered, in particular the non-conformity of certain national legislations with the EPPO regulation. An external study has been launched to assess the situation and consider regulatory improvements.
Ms Kövesi, for her part, expressed a sense of urgency about strengthening the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. She noted a significant increase in criminal reports and investigations, illustrating the growing effectiveness of EPPO. However, she stressed the need for regulatory adjustments to maximise its potential, particularly in terms of skills and budgetary independence.
Andrzej Halicki MEP (EPP, Polish) addressed the issue of Poland’s membership of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (see EUROPE 13315/7), stressing the importance of the fight against corruption and impunity. He asked about the possibility of amending the EPPO regulation without changing the EU Treaties and about the recommendations for future members of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In response, Ms Kövesi confirmed the possibility of such changes and outlined the main issues to be addressed. She also welcomed Poland’s forthcoming accession to EPPO, seeing this as an important step towards enlarging and strengthening the organisation.
Sophie in 't Veld (Renew Europe, Dutch) expressed concerns about cooperation between national authorities and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, particularly in countries where democracy and the rule of law are under threat. She criticised the Commission for its lack of political will to strengthen EPPO.
Ana Gallego Torres defended the Commission’s action, affirming its continued support for EPPO and the need for a technical and unanimous approach to any regulatory changes. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)