Update on the appointment of the first EU Chief Prosecutor

Met dank overgenomen van Raad van de Europese Unie (Raad) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 4 april 2019.

The Council's negotiating team regrets that no further progress could be made and that it was not possible to exchange views with the Parliament negotiators on a vision of the institutions for the future European Public Prosecutors' Office (EPPO) and for the first EU Chief Prosecutor.

The Council believes the EPPO needs an experienced and independent professional who can set up the office from the outset. The job of the first EU Chief Prosecutor over the 7 years of its mandate will in particular consist in building the administrative and operational structure of the office and establishing good working relations with national judiciary authorities.

The Council's negotiating team reiterates that, while it recognises the value of the three shortlisted candidates, the preferred candidate of the Council for this position is Mr Bohnert. The negotiating team has updated the Council (at Coreper level) on a regular basis on the negotiations to confirm this mandate.

The Council negotiators expressed their openness for a further meeting next week at a date to be defined. Should negotiations not be concluded by next week, it is likely they will have to resume once the new Parliament is in place.

Today's meeting was the third round of negotiations between the Council and the Parliament. The two institutions have to appoint the EU Chief Prosecutor by common accord.

Background

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office will be an independent body of the Union responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the Union (e.g. fraud and corruption). In that respect the EPPO shall undertake investigations, and carry out acts of prosecution and exercise the functions of prosecutor in the competent courts of the Member States.

There are currently 22 Member States participating in the enhanced cooperation. The EPPO is expected to start its operation in November 2020.