EU: inauguration of European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Solemn undertaking by Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi before Court of Justice

“I solemnly undertake to be completely independent in carrying out my responsibilities, in the interest of the Union as a whole, and neither to seek nor take instructions from any person or entity external to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. I further undertake to comply with the duty of confidentiality, as regards all information held by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office”. This is the undertaking given today during the inauguration of the new European Public Prosecutor’s Office. By common accord of 16 October 2019, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union appointed Laura Codruţa Kövesi as the first European Chief Prosecutor. In addition, by decision of 27 July 2020, the Council of the European Union appointed the first European Prosecutors of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. A sitting at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg today marked the official start of the activities of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. During this sitting of inauguration, the Chief Prosecutor and the Prosecutors of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office gave the solemn undertaking to comply with the obligations arising from their duties. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is an independent body of the Union responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment criminal offences against the financial interests of the EU. It is based in Luxembourg. There are currently 22 Member States participating in that enhanced cooperation: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Spain.
Gianni Borsa