Debate: Extension of the mandate of the EPPO with regard to the criminal offence of  violation of Union restrictive measures
Date: WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 2023
Speaker: Didier Reynders
Language: FR

La mise en œuvre efficace de ces sanctions est une priorité, y compris avec le concours de la justice pénale. À cet effet, la Commission a déjà pris plusieurs initiatives pour soutenir les États membres dans cette mission cruciale. Il s’agit notamment de la mise en place, dès mars 2022, du groupe de travail «Gel et saisie». Par ailleurs, je me réjouis d’entamer bientôt avec le Parlement et le Conseil des négociations interinstitutionnelles sur la proposition de directive relative à la violation des sanctions de l’Union. Cette proposition contribuera de manière cruciale à renforcer la mise en œuvre des sanctions européennes et à assurer une harmonisation des définitions des infractions et des niveaux de sanctions dans l’ensemble de l’Union. Le Conseil a adopté une orientation générale la semaine dernière, et je remercie votre Parlement, notamment la commission LIBE et la rapporteure Sophia in ’t Veld, pour leur engagement dans ce dossier. La question que nous sommes appelés à discuter aujourd’hui concerne le rôle que le Parquet européen pourrait jouer dans ce contexte. Nous venons de célébrer les deux années d’activité opérationnelle du Parquet européen, marquées par des résultats impressionnants, en particulier le nombre d’enquêtes ouvertes et le montant des saisies. First, let me stress that the Commission is fully committed to ensuring that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) can perform its current tasks effectively. To some extent, this task already concerns the enforcement of EU sanctions. As recalled by the European Chief Prosecutor on various occasions, the EPPO is already competent to investigate and prosecute certain cases of violations of sanctions when they are inextricably linked to crimes affecting the EU budget. For example, customs fraud concerning the import of certain goods prohibited under EU sanctions. This role is acknowledged by the proposed directive on sanctions violations. The proposal, in fact, provides that Member States’ competent authorities, the Commission, Eurojust, Europol and the EPPO should cooperate with each other within their respective mandates. A possible extension of the EPPO’s competence to the violation of EU sanctions would make its role much more prominent. We are open to supporting such an evolution. In accordance with Article 86 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the competence of the EPPO can be extended to areas of serious crime with a cross-border dimension other than those areas already listed in this article. In terms of procedure, such a possible extension of the EPPO’s competence would require a decision of the European Council by unanimity of all the 27 Member States, after having obtained the consent of the European Parliament and having consulted the Commission. The feasibility of this avenue depends, therefore, on the position of the Member States. I am aware that at least 10 Member States would support a limited extension of the EPPO’s mandate to the violations of sanctions. We have discussed this issue again recently in the Justice Council last Friday. As I explained, a clear position of all the Member States is very important, because we need to have the support of all, including the Member States that are not participating in the enhanced cooperation on which the EPPO relies. That is needed in order to extend the competence. From the Commission’s side, we are open to work on it and to assess the feasibility of extending the EPPO’s competence to these offences in the context and within the timelines of existing reporting activities. In April 2022, the Commission launched an in-depth study to assess the implementation of the EPPO Regulation by the Member States, as well as additional issues on the effectiveness and efficiency of the EPPO and its working practices. The study will be concluded in the summer. It could provide the right context subsequently to have a first substantial discussion on a possible extension of the EPPO’s competence to violation of sanctions and the potential financial, technical and human resource implications for the EPPO. It is therefore very important to continue to work urgently on the proposal for a directive on the violation of sanctions. Through such discussions, it will be possible to continue the preparation of a possible extension of the competence of the EPPO, if we have the capacity to convince the Member States to support such an extension. I said last Friday that we have seen that at least 10 Member States would support such an extension. We will continue to work to see if it is possible to reach to reach unanimity. I thank you for your questions. I thank you for your attention and of course, I am looking forward to further debate.