The selection Panel provided for by the EPPO Regulation has just started its work for recruiting the new 8 European Prosecutors who have to be replaced after 3 years service due to the partial replacement of one third of the 22 European Prosecutors provided for by the Regulation itself.
The Panel is composed by twelve persons chosen from among former members of the Court of Justice and the Court of Auditors, former national members of Eurojust, members of national supreme courts, high level prosecutors and lawyers of recognised competence.
The Council of the EU has established the selection panel’s operating rules and appointed last January its members on a proposal from the Commission; one of the persons chosen was proposed by the European Parliament.
Upon receipt of the 3 nominations by each Member States, the selection Panel is now reviewing them with regard to the requirements set out in the Regulation and started hearing the candidates nominated by Cyprus and Lithuania. The interviews will continue in the next weeks with candidates nominated by the other participating Member States interested by the partial renewal (AT, GR, IT, NL, SP, PT).
This is with a view to send its opinion, together with a ranking of each candidate, to the Council before July this year, in order to allow the appointment of the new 8 European prosecutors before the expiration of the mandate of their predecessors. It should be underlined that the selection panel ranks the candidates according to their qualifications and experience and that the ranking shall indicate the selection panel’s order of preference but shall not be binding on the Council.
Lorenzo Salazar
Collaborate Subcommittee