Former EU top diplomat among three held in fraud investigation | European Union
Belgian police arrested three people, including the EU’s former top diplomat Federica Mogherini, and raided the EU foreign service headquarters and the elite College of Europe as part of an investigation into suspected fraud.
In a statement without naming the people, the European prosecutor’s office said that three people were detained “within the scope of an investigation on suspicion of fraud related to the training of young diplomats financed by the EU.”
Belgian newspaper De Standaard was among the first to report, citing judicial sources, that Mogherini, now rector of the College of Europe, was among the three arrested.
A source confirmed to the Guardian that Mogherini was among those held. The Belgian newspaper said two men from “diplomatic circles” were also arrested for possible “procurement fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest”. The College of Europe did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to information obtained by The Guardian, Stefano Sannino, who was secretary general of the EU’s external action service between 2021 and 2024 and is now director general of the European Commission, is also one of those arrested. Belgian media also made his name known. Italian official Sannino did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
A European Commission spokesman confirmed “an ongoing investigation is ongoing into activities carried out during the previous mandate” but declined to answer other questions, including the names of the suspects.
The College of Europe did not respond to a question about whether Mogherini had been arrested, but said it would fully cooperate with authorities “in the interest of transparency and respect for the investigative process.” It said it adhered to “the highest standards of integrity, fairness and compliance in both academic and administrative matters.”
At the request of the prosecutor’s office, the police carried out searches at the Brussels headquarters of the EU’s foreign affairs service, the European External Action Service, as well as various buildings of the College of Europe in Bruges. The prosecutor’s office reported that searches were also carried out at the suspects’ homes.
An investigation is ongoing “to assess whether any criminal offenses have occurred,” the organization said, adding: “Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the competent Belgian civil courts.”
The EU foreign service was headed by Mogherini from 2014 to 2019, after serving as Italian foreign minister for several months. In 2020, he became rector of the EU-funded College of Europe. controversial election For some former graduates who claim to lack academic qualifications or experience managing a complex academic structure. Founded in Bruges in 1949, the College of Europe has served as a graduate training ground for countless EU officials and diplomats.
The case is an unprecedented investigation by the European prosecutor’s office (EPPO), the only EU body dealing with criminal cases, launched in 2021 to combat cross-border fraud involving EU funds. The EPPO can refer criminal cases to the courts in the 24 participating EU member states, including Belgium.
The case centers on whether the College of Europe and/or its representatives were informed in advance about the tender for a training program for junior diplomats before the official launch of the tender process.
The EPPO said it had “strong suspicions” that fair competition rules had been breached and that confidential information had been shared with one of the bidders. The College of Europe in Bruges has been contracted to run the European Union Diplomatic Academy in 2021-22, following a decision by the EU foreign service. EPPO said the immunity of the three suspects was lifted at its request.
EPPO declined to provide further details beyond its statement. first statement About the case in order “not to jeopardize the ongoing transactions and their results”;
An EU diplomat spoke of the EPPO’s work “and is not afraid to go after the big names”, adding: “If the allegations are true, they should be severely punished to send a clear message that all forms of corruption will not be tolerated in the EU.”
