The European Public Prosecutor's Office is responsible for fighting financial crimes against the EU. Christophe Lemaire/Maison Moderne

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is responsible for fighting financial crimes against the EU. Christophe Lemaire/Maison Moderne

At the EU's Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 13 October, member states’ justice ministers assessed the work of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Luxembourg's representative Sam Tanson emphasised the EU body's role in protecting financial interests.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is a new and growing EU institution, based in Luxembourg. It investigates and prosecutes crimes such as fraud or corruption. The EPPO started its operations in June 2021. Finance minister  emphasised the importance of the EPPO's role. She highlighted that its case management system, which enables it to efficiently make links between investigations in different countries, as well as its ability to coordinate investigations, were strong advantages when handling cross-border cases. Tanson also supported measures to increase the EPPO’s power, allowing it to better address violations of sanctions at an EU level.

As of 31 December 2021, the EPPO had recorded €147.3m in seizures, triple its 2021 budget, and had 122 staff members working in the central office in Luxembourg. Recent investigations include fraud surrounding agricultural funds in Italy, unlawful favouritism in Croatia, and procurement fraud in Latvia. Last year, one investigation was opened in Luxembourg, with estimated total damages of €546,480.

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