The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a major ruling reinforcing the independence of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). The case arose after the European Court of Auditors refused for two years to let EPPO call its staff as witnesses in a criminal investigation, arguing that “Union interests” took precedence.
The CJEU disagreed, finding that EPPO investigations are themselves in the Union’s interest and that EU institutions cannot set conditions on the prosecutor’s authority to conduct them. EPPO chief Laura Kövesi hailed the decision, saying she hoped “its consequences will be fully understood by all EU institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies.”
