IECL Lunchtime Seminar
Dr András Csúri & Dr Paolo Bernardo
Judicial cooperation in criminal matters at a crossroads: the implications of different integration approaches for the functioning of the European Public Prosecutor's Office
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the first EU authority with powers to initiate criminal investigations in the participating Member States, thereby directly affecting individuals and their fundamental rights, became operational in 2021.
Contrary to the original idea that the EPPO would conduct investigations on the basis of a single code of criminal offences of budgetary fraud and a single set of powers to gather evidence, the final(?) result is a European office whose investigative powers are essentially determined by the diverse national laws of the participating Member States.
The cross-border investigations of the EPPO put further complexion on the matter. This is because, despite legal diversity, the Regulation has opted for a unique cooperation scheme, which is neither mutual recognition nor a solid vertical approach.
The presentation aims to show some of the implications of this distinct regime and raises the question whether, in addition to greater efficiency, investigations conducted by a single European office would not also require more comparability and reliability.
Dr András Csúri
Business freedom and labour protection in the phenomenon of relocations
Dr Paolo Bernardo