Today, the European Chief Prosecutor addressed a letter to the European Commission in line with Recital 16 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2092 of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the budget of the European Union (Conditionality Regulation), pointing at the amendments to the Slovak law on whistle-blower protection very recently proposed by the government of the Slovak Republic and due to be adopted next week through an expedited procedure.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s office (EPPO) in Milan (Italy), the Carabinieri’s Labour Protection Group executed precautionary measures against three Italian entrepreneurs. Two were subjected to house arrest, and one prohibited from dealing with public administrations and exercising executive offices in legal entities and businesses.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Venice (Italy) and Zagreb (Croatia) jointly carried out arrests and searches in both Croatia and Italy, in an investigation targeting a large-scale VAT fraud scheme related to an organised criminal group trading in electronic goods and hygiene products, causing an estimated damage of over €78 million in unpaid VAT. This is the first multimillion VAT fraud in Croatia uncovered by the EPPO.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Paris (France), the competent judge of the Paris Criminal Court ordered a seizure of over €1.9 million relating to two real estate properties, and a freezing order of nearly €550 000 on bank accounts. Both belong to a French trading company and their managers, based in the Paris area, specialised in importing among other shoes and bags from China to Europe and suspected of customs fraud.

Five suspects have been arrested in northern France, in an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Paris (France) into a criminal organisation suspected of operating a VAT fraud scheme involving the import of hundreds of luxury vehicles. 

In an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria), the General Directorate of the National Police (Главна дирекция "Национална полиция) carried out several searches and seizures this week, as part of an investigation into suspected subsidy fraud involving EU agricultural funds. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Rome (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Pescara carried out searches and seized assets on Tuesday, in an investigation into a €3.7 million fraud scheme to obtain funds intended to support small and medium companies (SMEs), including those affected by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. 

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna and Turin (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) and Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli) in Florence carried out searches and preventive seizures, and arrested two individuals, as part of an investigation into a €19 million VAT fraud linked to the smuggling of goods from China.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) has filed an indictment against six suspects, including a former public official, following an investigation into fraud involving EU funds intended to boost the employability of young people.

At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna and Naples (Italy), the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) in Naples carried out preventive seizures today, in an investigation into a €260 million VAT fraud scheme involving a criminal network alleged to have imported fuel to the Italian market while systematically evading VAT.