C_202503131EN.000101.fmx.xml

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (1), and in particular Article 14(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘EPPO’) was established by Regulation (EU) 2017/1939. The College of the EPPO consists of the European Chief Prosecutor and one European Prosecutor per Member State. The European Chief Prosecutor is appointed by common accord of the European Parliament and the Council from among a shortlist of qualified candidates drawn up by the selection panel provided for in Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 (the ‘selection panel’). The European Prosecutors are appointed by the Council from among three qualified candidates nominated by each Member State, after having received a reasoned opinion from the selection panel.

(2)	The current members of the selection panel were appointed for a period of four years from 20 January 2023 by means of Council Decision (EU) 2023/133 (2). One member of the selection panel was replaced in June 2024 by Council Decision (EU) 2024/1777 (3).

(3)	On 7 March 2025, one member of the selection panel, Ms Tuire TAMMINIEMI, resigned. The Council was informed accordingly.

(4)	A new member of the selection panel should be appointed as soon as possible to replace Ms Tuire TAMMINIEMI, in order to ensure the continuity of the selection panel’s activities.

(5)

The Commission, taking into account the need for geographical balance, gender balance and due representation of the legal systems of the Member States participating in the enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the EPPO, proposed Ms Johanna HERVONEN, Chief Prosecutor of the prosecution district of Southern Finland, as a new member of the selection panel.

(6)

Ms Johanna HERVONEN should therefore be appointed as a new member of the selection panel and, in accordance with Rule II of the operating rules of the selection panel set out in the Annex to Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696 (4), her appointment should be for the remainder of her predecessor’s term of office.

(7)	Decision (EU) 2023/133 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8)	In order to ensure that Ms Johanna HERVONEN can swiftly take up her functions and participate in the ongoing activities of the selection panel, this Decision should enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(4) Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696 of 13 July 2018 on the operating rules of the selection panel provided for in Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L 282, 12.11.2018, p. 8, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2018/1696/oj).