site.btaEU Expands Powers of European Public Prosecutor's Office

EU finance ministers are expected to approve a decision expanding the powers of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) the following week, the Council of the European Union said on Tuesday ahead of the meeting.

Under the planned changes, EPPO will gain access to data on VAT fraud. EPPO is responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes against the EU budget, including fraud, corruption and serious cross-border VAT fraud.

EPPO chief Laura Kovesi told members of the European Parliament’s tax subcommittee in 2025 that VAT fraud in the EU is closely linked to serious organized crime and is not being sufficiently countered.

According to Kovesi, VAT fraud has long remained largely without consequences and costs the EU budget billions of euro annually.