Overview
- Belgian federal police raided EEAS headquarters in Brussels, College of Europe sites in Bruges and private residences on 2 December under EPPO orders.
- Formal charges were notified to Federica Mogherini, Commission director-general Stefano Sannino and College co-director Cesare Zegretti after interrogations, and all three were conditionally released.
- EPPO cites suspected fraud in public procurement, corruption, conflict of interest and breach of professional secrecy tied to the award of an EU diplomatic training program.
- Investigators are probing whether confidential selection criteria were shared in advance; reports also note a €3.2 million building purchase preceding a tender that led to a roughly €654,000 contract.
- Institutions say they will cooperate; Kaja Kallas called the allegations deeply shocking, Mogherini defended the College’s integrity, and Sannino signaled early retirement as the case proceeds in West Flanders/Ypres after immunities were lifted.