What changed

A. whereas, by letterwhereas ofon 8 June 2026,2026 the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Pesaro submitted a request for the waiver of the immunity of Matteo Ricci, Member of the European Parliament elected in Italy, in connection with ongoing criminal proceedings concerning alleged offences relating to the period from 30 May 2019 to 18 June 2024 during which Matteo Ricci held the office of Mayormayor of the municipality of Pesaro;

B. whereas, according to the request, the criminal proceedings against Matteo Ricci, which concern, in addition to Matteoalso Ricci,concern 26 other persons,individuals, were initiated for alleged corruption andoffences forof actscorruption contrary to official duties laid down in Articles 319, 320 and 321 of the Italian Criminal Code, committedand underof embezzlement contrary to Article 314 of that Criminal Code, as well as for other alleged offences also attributed to other individuals in their capacity as civil servants and/or persons entrusted with the exercise of public authority and entrepreneurs; whereas, according to the request, the waiver of Matteo Ricci’s immunity is being sought with a view to the seizure, readingreview and possible use of correspondence (online conversations, emails,emails and related documents) between Matteo Ricci and one of his alleged collaborators, found on the telephone used by Matteo Ricci;

C. whereas the purpose of the immunity provided for in Protocol No 7 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union is to protect Parliament and its Members from legal proceedings in relation to activities carried out in the performance of parliamentary duties and which cannot be separated from those duties;

D. whereas, in accordance with Rule 5(2) of theits Rules of Procedure, parliamentary immunity is not a Member’s personal privilege but a guarantee of the independence of Parliament as a whole and of its Members;

H. whereas Article 9, first paragraph, point (a), of Protocol No 7 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union provides that, during the sessions of the European Parliament, its Members are to enjoy, in the territory of their own state,Member State, the immunities accorded to members of the parliament of their parliament;Member State;

I. whereas Article 68 of the Constitution of the Italian ConstitutionRepublic provides as follows:

‘Members of Parliament shallmay not be called toheld answerliable for the opinions expressed or votes cast in the exerciseperformance of their function.

WithoutIn default of the authorization of his or her House, no Member of Parliament may be subjected to a personal or home search, nor may he or she be arrested or otherwise deprived of personal freedom, ornor held in detention,custody, except to enforcewhen a final court judgment,sentence is enforced, or ifwhen caughta Member is apprehended in the act of committing aan crimeoffence for which arrest flagrante delicto is mandatory.

Such an authorisation shall also be required in order to subject Members of Parliament to any form of interceptionintercept ofa theirMember’s conversations or communications or to seize theira correspondence.’;Member’s mail.’;