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

Clandestine Industrial-Scale Drug Lab Dismantled in Belgium

Clandestine Industrial-Scale Drug Lab Dismantled in Belgium

Disclaimer: The views and information presented in the articles are solely those of the individuals expressing them. Their opinions are their own responsibility. The European Times provides a platform for free expression and does not necessarily endorse any particular viewpoint published.
Translation Notice: All content on this website is originally written in English. Translations into other lan

Read More

Brussels Court Orders Overhaul of Flight Paths at Zaventem Airport

Brussels Court Orders Overhaul of Flight Paths at Zaventem Airport

Zaventem – The federal government must restructure the flight paths over Brussels Airport, located in Zaventem, following a ruling by the Brussels Court of Appeal. The decision is part of an ongoing legal battle over aircraft-induced noise pollution affecting several surrounding municipalities.
The court found that the current flight route system causes excessive noise, particularly impacting Wemm

Read More

Macron Urges Trump to Blame Putin and Demands Russia ‘Stop Lying’ About Ukraine

Macron Urges Trump to Blame Putin and Demands Russia ‘Stop Lying’ About Ukraine

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his frustration over Ukraine’s reluctance to accept certain demands during ongoing negotiations, directing sharp criticism at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a post on Truth Social.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded by urging Trump to focus his anger on the true instigator of the conflict.
“There is an aggressor, Russia, an

Read More

Ribera Dismisses Concerns That Fines on Apple and Meta Will Impact U.S. Negotiations

Ribera Dismisses Concerns That Fines on Apple and Meta Will Impact U.S. Negotiations

Mexico City (EFE) ** Teresa Ribera, the Vice President of the European Commission (EC) responsible for the Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition, dismissed any connection between the fines imposed on American tech giants Apple and Meta and the ongoing negotiations between Brussels and the U.S. aimed at avoiding tariffs.
At a press conference during her official visit to Mexico City on Wednesday

Read More

Outrage Erupts as Russian Overnight Strikes on Ukrainian Cities Kill at Least Nine Civilians

Outrage Erupts as Russian Overnight Strikes on Ukrainian Cities Kill at Least Nine Civilians

Title: UN Condemns Escalating Civilian Casualties After Latest Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
Recent Russian airstrikes have caused widespread destruction in Kyiv and several other Ukrainian cities, resulting in significant civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. According to reports, 12 buildings were struck in the capital alone, affecting homes, businesses, and essential public servic

Read More

PTS Boom Students Create Mini Car Obstacle Course to Jumpstart Automotive Careers

PTS Boom Students Create Mini Car Obstacle Course to Jumpstart Automotive Careers

Boom, Belgium – Students from the wood department at PTS Boom in Antwerp have teamed up with automotive sector organisation EDUCAM to build a mobile obstacle course for miniature remote-controlled cars. The initiative is part of a larger effort to spark youth interest in the automotive industry by offering hands-on learning experiences.
Funded by EDUCAM, the project brought together students from

Read More

The Ministry of Transport Chooses 14 Candidates for Astronaut Svoboda’s Space Mission

The Ministry of Transport Chooses 14 Candidates for Astronaut Svoboda’s Space Mission

Prague – The Ministry of Transport has announced the selection of 14 research experiments that will be included in the European Space Agency (ESA) mission. Some of these experiments will be carried out by Czech astronaut Aleš Svoboda aboard the International Space Station (ISS), with some projects potentially commencing even before his mission, which is anticipated to launch by the end of 2027. T

Read More

Trump Official Criticizes Climate Policy at London Energy Summit

Trump Official Criticizes Climate Policy at London Energy Summit

At a recent energy summit, Irish Minister Michael Joyce’s remarks sparked controversy, clashing with the views of several high-level European officials. His speech stood in contrast to calls for reducing reliance on fossil fuels—an objective emphasized by other speakers such as U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and French Minister for Industry and Energy Marc Ferracci.
Ferracci made a strong case

Read More

Uniting Traditions Through Kindness: Scientologists Spread Easter Joy Across Europe

Uniting Traditions Through Kindness: Scientologists Spread Easter Joy Across Europe

Here is a rewritten version of the article, with a fresh tone while preserving the content and key messages:

KINGNEWSWIRE / Press Release / This Easter, the Church of Scientology brought new meaning to the season of renewal by spreading joy and compassion across Europe. From Hungary to the United Kingdom, Scientologists transformed tradition into acts of kindness, uniting communities thro

Read More

UK Removes Sanctions on Syria’s Defence and Interior Ministries

UK Removes Sanctions on Syria’s Defence and Interior Ministries

London (Eurotoday) – The United Kingdom has lifted asset freezes previously imposed on Syria’s Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, and several intelligence agencies, rolling back sanctions established during Bashar al-Assad’s tenure.
The move comes as Western governments reassess their approach to Syria following the December ousting of Assad by the insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, e

Read More