EPPO Granted Authority to Investigate Corruption in EU Parliament

Strasbourg (Eurotoday) – The European Parliament and EPPO sign an agreement allowing corruption investigations, enhancing anti-fraud efforts and transparency.

As reported by Politico, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola inked a working arrangement with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) authorising investigations within the institution.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is an autonomous public prosecution office of the European Union. It is mandated for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment offences against the financial interests of the EU. These include several sorts of fraud, VAT fraud with impairments above 10 million euros, money laundering, corruption, etc.

How will the EPPO investigate corruption within the parliament?

The agreement between the parliament and the prosecutor’s office is the first agreement of its kind between the two institutions. Most especially, it will make it more manageable for EPPO to access the EU Parliament and probe corruption cases within the institution. “It will make our fight against crime and fraud faster and better. Ultimately this agreement is about protecting EU taxpayers’ money,” stated.

How does the agreement improve access to parliamentary records?

The arrangement makes it easier for EPPO to access the Parliament’s premises, to request to renounce the immunity of lawmakers and team and to access documents linked to investigations. The agreement comes weeks after EPPO informed it is conducting an investigation into one of the Parliament’s political parties, the European People’s Party (EPP). For investigations linked to members of the European Parliament, EPPO will have to reach Metsola. For investigations into Parliament staff, it will reach the secretary-general.

According to the contract, the EPPO will need to report to the Parliament any searches at least 48 hours in advance. In addition, the EPPO will need to inform the Parliament regarding ongoing investigations, and in turn, the Parliament must notify the EPPO of financial criminal conduct among its staff. 

What does the new EPPO-Parliament agreement aim to achieve?

In his remarks, blank” rel=”noopener”>Victor Negrescu, the Parliament vice-president for the fight against corruption and transparency policies, claimed that the agreement, which reflects a similar deal between EPPO and the European Commission in 2021, aims to “improve our anticorruption mechanisms” and to “provide legal certainty to EPPO investigations.” “It is a huge step forward for our institution and a clear message of support for EPPO by the European Parliament,” he stated. 


Comments

3 responses to “EPPO Granted Authority to Investigate Corruption in EU Parliament”

  1. Heavenly Connection Avatar
    Heavenly Connection

    Oh, fantastic! Finally, the EPPO gets a backstage pass to the EU Parliament—like letting the fox guard the henhouse, innit? 😏 Who knew fighting corruption could be as bureaucratic as a snail race on a Sunday? 🐌💼

  2. Twix Esses Avatar

    Oh, brilliant move! Nothing screams “We’re serious about transparency!” quite like a fancy agreement to check each other’s pockets. 🤔💼 Let’s just hope the EPPO doesn’t trip over all the red tape while searching for loose change! 😅

  3. Oh fantastic, the EPPO can now investigate the Parliament—because who doesn’t love a good bureaucratic tango while the rest of us are just trying to get our taxes sorted? 🤷‍♂️ Hope they’ve packed their lunch; it might take a while to find anything in that maze! 🍽️

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

When Do Cats Reach Maturity?

When Do Cats Reach Maturity?

Humans have distinct growth stages, typically reaching adulthood at 18. But how does this process occur in cats? When do they reach puberty, become adults, and switch to adult cat food?
There isn’t a set age for cats to reach adulthood. Felines experience various growth stages, and while there are general milestones, exact timelines vary. Let’s explore these stages.
When do kittens stop gro

Read More

Spain leads Europe’s shift away from Donald Trump’s US

Spain leads Europe’s shift away from Donald Trump’s US

In Spain, there is broad support for defending an EU country under foreign attack and for a European army.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been the chief European critic of the U.S. president and a vocal opponent of the war in Iran. Following Madrid’s ban on U.S. use of jointly operated military bases or airspace for Middle Eastern attacks, Trump threatened to sever commercial ties

Read More

From Acknowledgment to Consensus: A Gulf Strategy for Stability in an Era of Escalation

From Acknowledgment to Consensus: A Gulf Strategy for Stability in an Era of Escalation

When missiles are launched or shipping lanes in the Gulf are threatened, the effects extend far beyond the region. Energy markets react within hours, insurance premiums rise, and supply chains adjust. Events in the Middle East now swiftly impact the global economy, marking a period where regional instability equates to systemic risk.
The region is at a critical juncture, with rising tensions nota

Read More

Italy’s Giorgia Meloni Seeks Political Reset Following Referendum Defeat

Italy’s Giorgia Meloni Seeks Political Reset Following Referendum Defeat

Her office reiterated the message on Tuesday, emphasizing alignment with European partners on the need to “preserve civilian infrastructure” following Trump’s repeated threats to target Iranian power plants and bridges. At the end of March, Italy refused to allow a U.S. bomber mission to land at a Sicilian base en route to the Middle East, though Meloni stressed that this did not

Read More

Sagrada Familia Completed, Becomes Tallest Christian Church

Sagrada Familia Completed, Becomes Tallest Christian Church

The Sagrada Familia has finally been completed, 144 years after construction started, and now dominates the Barcelona skyline at a height of 172 meters, one hundred years after Antoni Gaudí’s death. It is now the tallest Christian church globally.
Gaudí envisioned the architectural elements to merge styles and transform stone into living elements, reflecting a connection to nature. The cons

Read More

Europe Worries About Shouldering Costs Following Trump’s Iran Deal

Europe Worries About Shouldering Costs Following Trump’s Iran Deal

Added to the fact that Europe’s energy bills will likely remain elevated for weeks or even months if the ceasefire holds, a clear trend emerges: Europe is having to pay increasingly just to stay in a transatlantic alliance that has become very unpredictable.
“It’s a pattern,” said Nacho Sánchez Amor, a Spanish socialist lawmaker on the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. “In Gaza,

Read More

Psychogenic Pain: A Cry from the Soul

Psychogenic Pain: A Cry from the Soul

What occurs when patients experience severe pain, visit a doctor, undergo numerous tests, yet find no clear diagnosis? What happens when pain persists despite medication and shifts locations within the body?
At this juncture, it might be time to consider psychogenic pain. This type of pain is described by sufferers as intense, but it doesn’t align with any physical ailment, condition, or in

Read More

Greece Introduces Bill to Restrict Minors’ Social Media Use

Greece Introduces Bill to Restrict Minors’ Social Media Use

A Cypriot official stated, “Due to regional developments, there were challenges or cancellations with flights not just to Cyprus, but also to other nations in the area, necessitating our flexibility.”

Read More

Green Transition Forum Debuts New Youth Format

Green Transition Forum Debuts New Youth Format

For the first time, Green Transition Forum 6.0: Europe’s Next Chapter – Competitive. Innovative. Secure. June 1 – 5, 2026, Sofia, introduces a dedicated space for young people. The three-day GTF Youth Forum will be held from June 3 to 5. In the Green Transition Podcast studio on dir.bg, Diana Alexandrova and Monika Yosifova from the forum’s organizing team revealed the program and objectives of t

Read More

Europe Celebrates Trump’s Iran Ceasefire

Europe Celebrates Trump’s Iran Ceasefire

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described it as “a moment of relief” and plans to visit the Middle East on Wednesday to collaborate with Gulf partners on ensuring the strait’s reopening becomes permanent. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated the objective was a “lasting end to the war.”
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed skepticism, saying although ceasefires are “always g

Read More