European Parliament Approves Internal Investigations Led by EU Fraud Busters

The newly signed agreement strengthens cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the European Parliament, streamlining procedures for accessing parliamentary premises, requesting the waiving of immunity for lawmakers and staff, and obtaining documents essential to investigations.

Signed on Wednesday, the pact comes just weeks after EPPO announced it was investigating one of the Parliament’s major political groups, the European People’s Party (EPP). For probes involving Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), EPPO will contact Parliament President Roberta Metsola, while investigations involving staff members will be directed to the secretary-general.

Victor Negrescu, Parliament’s vice-president in charge of anti-corruption and transparency policies, explained that the agreement mirrors a similar arrangement made in 2021 between EPPO and the European Commission. He emphasized that it aims to “enhance our anti-corruption mechanisms” and “offer legal clarity for EPPO investigations.”

“This is a significant leap forward for our institution and sends a clear signal of the European Parliament’s support for EPPO,” said Negrescu.

Under the terms of the agreement, EPPO must notify the Parliament at least 48 hours prior to conducting raids. Additionally, EPPO is required to keep the Parliament informed of ongoing investigations, while the Parliament is obligated to report any instances of financial criminal conduct among its personnel.