The European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) have signed a Working Arrangement today to launch a permanent cooperation in training European judges, prosecutors and court and prosecution staff. The agreement was signed by EJTN’s Secretary General, Judge Ingrid Derveaux, and the EPPO’s Chief Prosecutor, Laura Codruța Kövesi, at the EPPO’s headquarters in Luxembourg.

Under this agreement, both organisations have committed to work together to develop and implement long-term training periods at the EPPO for judges, prosecutors and court and prosecution staff, as well as study visits and residential and online training activities.

The new cooperation between EJTN and the EPPO also covers a structured exchange of information in order to facilitate the planning of training activities, the provision of legal English training, and the funding of judiciary learning grant visits to the EPPO.

A timely and needed partnership

The EJTN-EPPO partnership is essential in a context in which the EU has substantially increased its financial resources thanks to the Next Generation EU programme whilst trying to reinforce the protection of the rule of law and its financial interests.

Art. 4(2) of the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation testifies the importance that the EU legislature attaches to the EPPO in the effective protection of the Union’s budget and financial interests.

That provision expressly refers to the Member States’ duty to cooperate smoothly and faithfully with the EPPO in their investigations or prosecutions, acting in accordance with the principle of sincere cooperation. And what is more: it indicates that unsatisfactory cooperation with the EPPO can be used by the Commission and later by the Council as evidence that the Member State concerned violates the Rule of Law value set out in Article 2 TEU.

Quotes

Commenting on the signature of the new Working Arrangement, EJTN’s Secretary General Ingrid Derveaux, said:

“This Working Agreement will allow European judges, prosecutors and court staff to develop an excellent understanding of EPPO’s organisation, functions and competences. It will also support the development of skills needed in cross-border justice cooperation and fight against financial crime”.

“EU justice professionals must be aware of EPPO’s role in the protection of the EU’s financial interests to ensure effective cooperation between European and national authorities and to build a strong European area of justice”.

Laura Codruța Kövesi, Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO, said:

“The signing of the working arrangement with EJTN is an important step in our efforts to raise awareness about the protection of EU funds and about the EPPO’s work among the European judiciary”.

“Expert trainers from our organisation will contribute to EJTN’s courses about the EPPO and crimes against the financial interests of the Union, providing practical, experience-based knowledge”.

“Moreover, our staff will be able to benefit from the training courses provided by the EJTN, which will play a major role in enhancing our operational capacities.”

Note to editors

EJTN has provided webinars and seminars on the EPPO since 2018. The main goal of the activities is to raise awareness and share knowledge among the Member States and partner third countries’ judiciaries about the EPPO’s structure, functions and cross-border operations.

This task has become particularly important given that the EU budget has substantially increased due to the launch of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) programme.

Furthermore, EJTN and the European Law Academy (ERA) cooperate in a Consortium that trains providers on specialised training services in the field of work of the EPPO. As part of this Consortium, EJTN and ERA have organised several training programmes for EPPO’s staff.

About the EPPO

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) started operating in June 2021. It is the EU’s unique, independent, public prosecution office, responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.

The EPPO is composed of two levels: the central level and the decentralised level. The central level consists of a Central Office at the seat of the EPPO. The Central Office consists of the College, the Permanent Chambers, the European Chief Prosecutor, the Deputy European Chief Prosecutors, the European Prosecutors and the Administrative Director.

The European Chief Prosecutor and the European Prosecutors (one per participating Member State) constitute the College of the EPPO. The EPPO’s decentralised level consists of the European Delegated Prosecutors in the participating EU Member States.

To learn more about EPPO, please visit www.eppo.eu

Media contacts

European Judicial Training Network
communications@ejtn.eu

European Public Prosecutor’s Office
communications@eppo.eu