European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the EU’s independent public prosecution office and is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment the perpetrators of crimes affecting the financial interests of the EU such as fraud, including cross-border VAT fraud with damages above €10 million, money laundering of assets derived from defrauding the EU budget, and corruption and misappropriation affecting EU funds. The EPPO is also competent for offences regarding participation in a criminal organisation, if the focus of the criminal activity of such a criminal organisation is to commit offences affecting the EU’s financial interests.

The EPPO was established by Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, which was adopted by 22 EU countries by means of the enhanced cooperation procedure. Non-participating EU countries may decide to join the EPPO at any stage.

The EPPO will operate as a single office organised at a central and decentralised level. The Central Office, which is seated in Luxembourg, comprises a College formed of the European Chief Prosecutor and 22 European Prosecutors, one per participating country.

The decentralised level is embedded in each participating EU country’s justice system and composed of at least two European Delegated Prosecutors, who must be active members of the public prosecution service or the judiciary when appointed as European Delegated Prosecutors.

The Central Office coordinates and supervises the investigations that are conducted within the territory of the participating EU country by the European Delegated Prosecutors. Cases are brought before national courts.

The EPPO works in close partnership with Eurojust, Europol and OLAF (the European Anti-Fraud Office) and cooperates with other EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and the authorities of non-participating EU countries and of non-EU countries, as well as international organisations.