EU prosecutors threaten to sue Commission in spending spat
European Public Prosecutor’s Office says budget move means it may no longer be able to focus on its investigative operations.
Top European prosecutors — who are investigating allegations of criminal wrongdoing in connection with vaccine negotiations between Ursula von der Leyen and the CEO of Pfizer — are now threatening the European Commission with legal action.
On April 9, Laura Codruța Kövesi, who heads the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) — tasked with investigating serious financial crimes affecting the EU’s interests — took the unusual step of launching a so-called “amicable settlement procedure” with the Commission. This is the last legal step before litigation and if no agreement can be found, the fight could go as high as the EU’s General Court.
The prosecutors fear they will be unable to do their job properly if the Commission goes through with a plan to squeeze its budget — a move that was announced in February and came as a surprise, EPPO claims.
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