National implementation of the Regulation establishing the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Germany

Abstract

The text tackles the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), which is a European body responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to justice the perpetrators of crimes detrimental to the Union's financial interests. While the EPPO has been established only by way of enhanced cooperation, involving originally 20 – and soon thereafter 22 – Member States, the fight against crimes affecting the financial interests of the Union is a common effort of all Member States of the European Union. Mostly international nature of the crimes against the Union’s interests makes necessary to create, develop and uphold such a supranational structure, as a most effective one.The EPPO relies on existing structures and human resources in participating Member States. Notwithstanding that the EPPO Regulation is directly applicable in the Member States, there is still a need to adjust the domestic legal framework to ensure that it is able to effectively carry out its tasks of investigating and prosecuting. The following contribution intends to provide an overview of the organizational and legislative measures that have been taken in Germany to this end.