Police raid EU diplomatic arm in College of Europe fraud probe
Belgian authorities detained three suspects after ‘strong suspicions’ of wrongdoing in award of contract
Belgian police raided the EU’s diplomatic arm in Brussels and the College of Europe in Bruges as part of a probe into suspected fraud related to funding of junior officials, the bloc’s prosecutors said.
The raids on Tuesday morning, which resulted in the detention of three suspects, were prompted by “strong suspicions” of fraud in a 2021-2022 decision by European External Action Service (EEAS) to award the European Union Diplomatic Academy to the College.
Italian former diplomat Federica Mogherini, who had previously led the EEAS, became rector of the college in September 2020 and director of the diplomatic academy in August 2022.
The searches by Belgian police took place at the EEAS in the heart of Brussels’ EU quarter, several buildings of the College of Europe and at the houses of suspects, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said in a statement. The investigation was supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office, it added.
“Prior to the searches, the EPPO requested the lifting of the immunity of several suspects, which was granted,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Spokespersons of the EEAS and the College of Europe did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the Belgian police declined to comment on an ongoing case.
The EPPO said the investigation, which was first reported by EurActiv, focuses on whether the college or its representatives were given prior notice of the EEAS tender to establish the diplomatic academy before its official publication.
“There are strong suspicions that, during the tendering process for the programme, article 169 of the Financial Regulation related to fair competition was breached,” the EPPO said. “That confidential information related to the ongoing procurement was shared with one of the candidates participating in the tender.”
The EPPO said the facts under investigation “could constitute procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy. The investigation is ongoing to clarify the facts and assess whether any criminal offences have occurred.”