On the appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office

PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

(N10-0079/2025 – C100349/2025 – 2025/0803(NLE))

(Approval)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor's Office ('the EPPO'), and in particular Article 14 thereof,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 86 thereof,

– having regard to the proposal of a shortlist of candidates drawn up by the selection panel, in accordance with Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939,

– having regard to the Council letter of 14 January 2026, confirming that a common accord regarding the appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor was reached,

– having regard to the decision of the Conference of Presidents of 22 October 2025 regarding Rules on the appointment of representatives of the European Parliament or other persons to the management boards or other positions of agencies and bodies,

– having regard to its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A10-0027/2026),

A. whereas Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 provides for the selection of the European Chief Prosecutor among candidates who are active members of the prosecution service or judiciary, or active European Prosecutors; whose independence is beyond doubt; who possess the necessary qualifications and have relevant practical experience of national legal systems, financial investigations and of international judicial cooperation in criminal matters, or have served as European Prosecutors; and who have sufficient managerial experience and qualifications for the position,

B. whereas the selection panel submitted, in accordance with Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, to the European Parliament and to the Council the shortlist of four qualified candidates for the position of European Chief Prosecutor and provided the reasons for selecting the shortlisted candidates, as well as their Curricula Vitae and motivation letters,

C. whereas on 3 December 2025, its Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, in association with its Budgetary Control Committee, organised a public hearing of the four candidates for the position of European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO, at which the candidates made opening statements and answered questions put to them by members of the Committees,

D. whereas on 3 December 2025, after having received the opinion of its Budgetary Control Committee, its Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee voted in support of Mr Andrés Ritter as the Parliament’s preferred candidate for the position of the European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO,

E. whereas on 3 December 2025, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States (Coreper) established a position in support of the appointment of Mr. Andrés Ritter as European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO,

F. whereas both its Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee and Coreper supported the same candidate as their preferred candidate, and therefore a common accord on the appointment of Mr. Andrés Ritter as European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO was reached,

1. Approves the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office;

2. Instructs its President to sign the annexed decision with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

3. Instructs its President to forward this decision, including its annex, to the Council and, for information, to the Commission.