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Kovesi's term in office balance sheet/ Active investigations have increased nearly sevenfold in four years

Riana Gegiu

30 October 2026, 10:46

International

Foto: Facebook/ Laura Codruța Kövesi

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Laura Codruța Kövesi concludes her seven-year term at the helm of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) on Thursday, October 30, the institution she has led since its establishment. As of November 1, the position will be taken over by German prosecutor Andrés Ritter.

During her term, the EPPO’s activity expanded significantly. The number of active investigations rose from 515 in 2021 to 3,602 at the end of 2025, while the estimated losses in ongoing cases reached €67.27 billion. These figures represent suspected losses, not fraud definitively proven or funds recovered.

In 2025 alone, European prosecutors opened 2,030 investigations, approximately 35% more than the previous year. The conviction rate in cases resolved by verdict was nearly 95%. The European Commission positively assessed the institution’s activity, but flagged a lack of resources and difficulties in cooperating with national authorities.

In an interview with POLITICO, Kovesi warned that the EPPO’s independence and credibility could be affected by insufficient funding, political pressure, bureaucracy, and jurisdictional conflicts with national prosecution services. She said the institution would need 230 delegated European prosecutors, while the budget allows for the funding of 180 positions. The EPPO investigates fraud affecting the European Union budget, including corruption, EU-funds fraud, and cross-border VAT fraud.

Context: The EPPO, under Kövesi, has been involved in sensitive investigations and expanded external cooperation, while the institution’s head warned about pressure

In the period leading up to the end of her term, Laura Codruța Kövesi drew attention to the fact that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) was affected by underfunding, legislative deadlocks, and political pressure, warning that the institution’s independence and credibility could be eroded.

During this period, the EPPO continued an investigation related to discussions concerning the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, in which the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had not been questioned “in person” by the time of reporting, with prosecutors examining possible interference, the destruction of SMS messages, corruption, and conflicts of interest. During the same period, the EPPO also established a framework for cooperation with the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of China (signed in Luxembourg), with an action plan for the period 2026–2028, aimed at combating organized crime, money laundering, and corruption in cases affecting the EU’s financial interests.