EPPO is an independent EU body created to investigate, prosecute and bring to judgment crimes against the union’s budget. Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Hungary and Poland decided not to join the project, leaving 22 member countries participating in the enhanced cooperation to fight fraud and other crimes.

Luxembourg last year appointed Gabriel Seixas to the body’s college of prosecutors. Seixas on Wednesday told lawmakers that Eppo would work on cooperation agreements with the five EU countries who didn't sign up. Crimes against the EU budget cost the bloc around €500m, he said in a virtual meeting.

Each participating country has appointed one prosecutor to EPPO's college of prosecutors. In addition, each member country should nominate at least two European delegated prosecutors. EPPO chief prosecutor Laura Kövesi in January had warned that countries were late in sending their delegates, which could hamper the start of operations.

EPPO estimates to be dealing with 3,000 fraud cases when it becomes fully operational, Seixas said. The team of currently 130 staff--including analysts, financial investigators, legal advisors and others--is set to grow to 240 in 2022.

The public prosecutor's office is supposed to become fully operational on 1 March. The office is located in Luxembourg, already home to the Court of Justice of the European Union.