Appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor
A decision the Council takes on its own. Depending on the Treaty article, Parliament either gives its consent — accepting or rejecting the text without amending it — or is consulted and gives an opinion.
Where it stands: Completed: published in the Official Journal on 1 April 2026 and now EU law.
- ✓ Referred to committee 18 December 2025
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 23 February 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 25 February 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 10 March 2026
- ✓ Adopted by the Council 1 April 2026
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The Council takes the final decision, and the act is published in the Official Journal.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- LIBE — Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
- Rapporteur
- Javier ZARZALEJOS PPE
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: The versions differ only in formal points and wording: punctuation at the end of several recitals is changed and one recital is rephrased. see the changes →
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary: The new version turns the draft report into a draft decision appointing Andrés RITTER as European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor's Office for a non-renewable seven-year term from 1 November 2026. It sets out recitals on the selection panel's shortlist, the committee vote and the Council's position, and states that Parliament and the Council reached common accord. The other change is formal: the annex heading number is updated. see the changes →
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Outcome
- 1 April 2026 Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
- Plenary stage
- 10 March 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 435 Against 112 Abstained 46
Appointment of andrés ritter · 73% of votes cast in favour
- 25 February 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 23 February 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 12 February 2026 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 18 December 2025 Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.