Decision (EU) 2026/800 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2026 appointing the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

L series

2026/800

1.4.2026

DECISION (EU) 2026/800 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 25 March 2026

appointing the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’)  ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Having regard to Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696 of 13 July 2018 on the operating rules of the selection panel provided for in Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’)  ( 2 ) ,

Having regard to Council Decision (EU) 2018/1275 of 18 September 2018 appointing the members of the selection panel provided for in Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939  ( 3 ) ,

Having regard to the proposal of a shortlist of candidates drawn up by the selection panel on 8 October 2025, in accordance with Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696, with a view to the appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,

Whereas:

(1)

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) was established by Regulation (EU) 2017/1939.

(2)

The European Chief Prosecutor is the Head of the EPPO and organises the work of the EPPO, directs its activities, and takes decisions in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 and the internal rules of procedure of the EPPO. The College of the EPPO consists of the European Chief Prosecutor and one European Prosecutor per Member State.

(3)

By means of Decision (EU) 2019/1798 of the European Parliament and of the Council  ( 4 ) Ms Laura Codruța KÖVESI was appointed as the first European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO. Her mandate will expire on 31 October 2026.

(4)

It is therefore necessary to appoint, by common accord of the European Parliament and the Council, a new European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO.

(5)

An open call for candidates for the position of European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO as a temporary agent at grade AD 15 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 28 April 2025  ( 5 ) .

(6)

Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696 lays down the operating rules of the selection panel provided for in Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 (the ‘operating rules of the selection panel’).

(7)

In accordance with the first paragraph of Rule VII.1 of the operating rules of the selection panel, a shortlist of four candidates has been drawn up by the selection panel, which provided reasons for selecting the candidates on the shortlist. In accordance with the second paragraph of Rule VII.1 of the operating rules of the selection panel, the selection panel ranked the candidates according to their qualifications and experience. Such a ranking indicates the selection panel’s order of preference but is not binding on the European Parliament and the Council. On 8 October 2025, the selection panel submitted the shortlist and provided the reasons for selecting the shortlisted candidates, as well as their Curricula Vitae and motivation letters to the European Parliament and to the Council.

(8)

On 3 December 2025, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, after organising a public hearing of the four shortlisted candidates in association with, and after receiving the opinion of, the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament, proceeded to a vote in support of Mr Andrés RITTER as the Parliament’s preferred candidate for the position of the European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO.

(9)

On 3 December 2025, the position of the Council was established in support of the appointment of Mr Andrés RITTER as European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO.

(10)

The European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO is to be appointed by common accord between the European Parliament and the Council for a non-renewable term of seven years from 1 November 2026.

(11)

After assessing the candidates, the European Parliament and the Council reached a common accord on the appointment of Mr Andrés RITTER as European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO.

(12)

In appointing Mr Andrés RITTER, both institutions assessed the respective merits of the candidates, taking into account the statement of reasons provided by the selection panel, as well as their Curricula Vitae and motivation letters,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Mr Andrés RITTER is hereby appointed European Chief Prosecutor of the EPPO as a temporary agent at grade AD 15 for a non-renewable period of seven years from 1 November 2026.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Done at Brussels, 25 March 2026.

For the European Parliament

The President

R. METSOLA

For the Council

The President

M. RAOUNA

( 1 )

OJ L 283, 31.10.2017, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/1939/oj .

( 2 )

OJ L 282, 12.11.2018, p. 8 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2018/1696/oj .

( 3 )

OJ L 238, 21.9.2018, p. 92 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2018/1275/oj .

( 4 )   Decision (EU) 2019/1798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 appointing the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office ( OJ L 274, 28.10.2019, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2019/1798/oj ).

( 5 )

OJ C, C/2025/2468, 28.4.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/2468/oj .

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/800/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)