Belgian police raid EU diplomatic service over fraud

The European Prosecutor’s Office announced that Belgian police raided the European Union’s diplomatic service in Brussels and the training school called the College of Europe in Bruges as part of an investigation into suspected fraud.

Three suspects have been detained in an investigation into EU-funded training for young diplomats, prosecutors said.

Belgian broadcaster VRT said Federica Mogherini, the EU’s former top diplomat and current president of the College of Europe, was among them.

EU prosecutors said they could not disclose the identities.

At the request of the EPPO in Brussels 🇧🇪, searches were carried out today at the College of Europe and the EEAS as part of an investigation into fraud related to EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Three suspects were detained. More: https://t.co/2fkybnwKjO pic.twitter.com/bOY78H6zjN— European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) (@EUProsecutor) December 2, 2025

On Tuesday, at the request of prosecutors, raids were carried out on various buildings of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the College of Europe and the homes of the suspects.

The college is an institute where university graduates from EU member states can prepare for possible EU careers.

Prosecutors said they had “strong suspicions” of fraud in the tender to provide a nine-month training program for junior diplomats in member countries in 2021-22.

The tender was made by the diplomatic service and the college won.

The university declined to comment on the report.

It was not immediately possible to comment on the EEAS.

European Commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper confirmed the raid on the EAAS building at a press conference but refused to give details of the investigation or the suspects.

with AP