The European Public Prosecutor’s Office signed a working arrangement on 3 September 2021 with the European Court of Auditors (ECA). This arrangement aims to provide a structured framework for establishing and maintaining a cooperative relationship between both parties, for the purpose of protecting the EU budget.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the ECA share a common interest in maximising efficiency in the fight against fraud, corruption and any other criminal damage to the EU’s financial interests, and in avoiding the duplication of effort wherever possible. This arrangement (full text available here) outlines the conditions for the close cooperation by which this can occur, in full respect of the respective mandates of the EPPO and the Court. These include: timely collaboration on information transmission, access and exchange; precautionary measures on the part of the ECA; the EPPO’s access to ECA premises for conducting investigations; and the EPPO’s provision of information to the ECA for auditing purposes. Both parties will also cooperate on training in areas of common interest, and may exchange staff.