European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi welcomes the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the future leader of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.

European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi welcomed the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the future European Chief Prosecutor, stating that he has a "comprehensive understanding of the EPPO and the main challenges ahead, as well as a deep commitment to the independence of justice." The statement was made after the European Parliament approved Ritter's appointment to lead the European Public Prosecutor's Office, following the agreement given a day earlier by the EU Council.

In short

The European Parliament approved the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the future European Chief Prosecutor.

The EU Council had expressed its agreement for this appointment a day earlier.

Andrés Ritter's mandate begins on November 1, 2026.

Ritter is currently the Deputy European Chief Prosecutor and has been part of the EPPO leadership since 2020.

The EPPO is the independent prosecutor's office of the European Union responsible for investigating crimes against the financial interests of the EU.

"I warmly welcome Andrés Ritter to the position of future European Chief Prosecutor. Andrés Ritter has a comprehensive understanding of the EPPO and the main challenges ahead, as well as a deep commitment to the independence of justice. I am confident that, under his leadership, the EPPO will continue to protect the financial interests of the EU and the rule of law as effectively as possible," said Laura Kövesi.

The message from the current head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office emphasizes institutional continuity and Ritter's internal experience within the institution.

Andrés Ritter's appointment was approved by the European Parliament after the EU Council expressed its agreement a day earlier. His mandate is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2026.

Ritter has been part of the structure of the European Public Prosecutor's Office since the beginning of the institution's activity. He became the first European Prosecutor from Germany and has held the position of Deputy European Chief Prosecutor since November 11, 2020.

His career in the German judiciary began in 1995 when he joined the public prosecution service of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2008, he became Deputy Attorney General in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and later led several prosecutor's offices, including the specialized prosecutor's office for economic crime and cybercrime in Rostock from 2013 to 2020.

With this appointment, the leadership of the European Public Prosecutor's Office will be taken over by a magistrate who has been directly involved in the development of the institution since its early years of operation. The European Public Prosecutor's Office, known by the acronym EPPO, is the independent prosecutor's office of the European Union. The institution is mandated to investigate, prosecute, and bring to trial crimes against the financial interests of the EU.

The EPPO's activities focus on fraud with European funds, cross-border VAT fraud, and other crimes that affect the EU budget. The European Chief Prosecutor coordinates the work of European prosecutors and delegated European prosecutors from the participating states in this European judicial mechanism.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/procurorul-sef-european-laura-kovesi-saluta-numirea-lui-andres-ritter-ca-viitor-lider-al-parchetului-european