Commissioner Michael McGrath has clarified that the European Commission has no role in the national selection procedure for European Prosecutors, in response to concerns raised by MEPs about the termination of Bulgaria's selection process. The answer, given on 15 June 2026, limits the Commission's involvement to its role as guardian of the Treaties, while the Council is responsible for the selection and appointment of European Prosecutors.
The written question was submitted by a group of MEPs including Tomáš Zdechovský, Tomas Tobé, and François-Xavier Bellamy, who expressed concerns regarding the termination of the Bulgarian selection procedure. In his answer, McGrath noted that the EPPO Regulation does not establish rules for national selection procedures, and the Commission has no role in that process. He added that for a withdrawal of nominees to be effective under EU law, the selection panel would need to assess whether irregularities in the national procedure undermined the integrity of the process and the independence of the selected persons.
The answer contains no concrete proposals or commitments, instead reiterating the existing legal framework. It signals that the Commission will not intervene in national selection procedures unless a formal assessment by the panel identifies irregularities. The institutional follow-up lies with the Council, which will decide on the appointment of European Prosecutors based on the panel's assessment.
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