Today the European Parliament has given its consent to the proposed regulation on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), agreed by 20 Member States under enhanced cooperation in June 2017.Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament welcome the long-awaited creation of the EPPO, expecting that it will bring about substantial change in the way the Union’s financial interests are protected. We envisage the EPPO will combine European and national law-enforcement efforts in a unified, seamless and efficient approach to counter frauds to the EU budget.
Louis Michel, ALDE Member of the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and shadow rapporteur of the legislation commented after today’s vote:
„Despite the fact that Parliament’s role was limited to giving consent, we have managed to secure some key elements, such as the inclusion of VAT fraud in the scope of the EPPO. With today’s vote we have taken yet another crucial step in European integration and in the construction of our European area of justice. Thanks to this new regulation we are further harmonising the protection of the Union’s financial interests. I regret the decision of certain Member States not to participate, but I am pleased to see that 20 countries are willing to go further to protect the EU’s taxpayers’ money.”
