2 666 active investigations at the end of the year
(Luxembourg, 3 March 2025) – The latest Annual Report of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) shows a continuous rise in the EPPO’s activity. In the coming years, it will continue to increase, as detection and reporting of EU fraud will continue to improve, and its Polish and Swedish offices become operational. This year’s numbers demonstrate that the EPPO has become central to any serious reflection on the future of the so-called EU anti-fraud architecture.
At the end of 2024, the EPPO had a total of 2 666 active investigations (an increase of 38% since the previous year), with an estimated damage to the EU budget of €24.8 billion (22,5% more than in 2023). More than half of the estimated damage (€13.15 billion) is linked to cross-border VAT fraud, with almost systematic involvement of criminal organisations, posing a major risk to internal security.
More than 1 500 new investigations were opened in 2024 (almost 10% more than in the previous year), representing €13.07 billion in estimated damage. This increase is mostly the result of improved cooperation between the EPPO and the relevant national authorities, and the EPPO’s determination to target criminal organisations, particularly active in VAT fraud, but also in fraud involving EU funds.
By the end of 2024, the EPPO was handling 311 active cases related to the NextGenerationEU, the majority of which (307) stemmed from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The estimated damage to the EU’s financial interests amount to €2.8 billion, which represents 30% of the overall estimated damage for subsidy fraud. This number is expected to increase, in the context of the accelerated implementation of NextGenerationEU funding.
The rise in criminal investigations has been a constant since the EPPO began operations, in June 2021 – proving that the prevalence of crime against the financial interests of the EU has long been underestimated.
“A few years ago, the general expectation was that the EPPO would not have much to do. It was designed small to deal with what was commonly considered a ‘niche’ criminality. After more than three years of activity, uncovering a new continent of crime, the EPPO’s capacity needs to be adapted to reality”, said the European Chief Prosecutor, Laura Kövesi.
“For us, at the EPPO, these are the key questions: is EPPO well equipped? Is Europol well equipped? Are there dedicated and specialised investigators from police, tax administrations and customs assigned to support EPPO’s investigations in all the participating Member States? Currently, the answer to each of these questions is ‘no’. If we want the ‘EU antifraud architecture’ to improve, we need each of the answers to be ‘yes’.”
Increased crime reports and assets frozen
In 2024, the EPPO processed 6 547 crime reports (56% more than in the previous year). Over 70% came from private parties and close to 27% from national authorities. Only 1,7% came from institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the EU, which shows that they need to step up the detection and reporting of suspicions of fraud to the EPPO.
In 2024, with 205 indictments filed (47% more than in 2023), the EPPO continued to bring more perpetrators of EU fraud to judgment in front of national courts.
In the course of the year, the EPPO froze assets worth €849 million. This corresponds to existing assets frozen, in view of potential confiscation after final judgement, and represents almost 11 times the budget of the EPPO in 2024.
Some of the key figures, valid on 31 December 2024:
2024 in numbers
Here are some of the key figures featured in the Annual Report, valid on 31 December 2024:
- 6 547 crime reports were processed (56% more than in 2023);
- 1 504 investigations were opened (+9,7%), with estimated damage of €13.07 billion;
- 2 666 active investigations with estimated damage of €24.8 billion;
- 18% of active investigations (488) were linked to VAT fraud, but account for 53% of the overall estimated damage (€13.15 billion);
- Over 300 active investigations related to funding under NextGenerationEU, with an estimated damage of over €2.8 billion (+ 25%);
- €849 million in assets effectively frozen;
- 161 European Investigation Orders and Mutual Legal Assistance requests sent to non-participating Member States and non-EU countries;
- 205 indictments filed (+ 47%), with 869 persons indicted;
- 166 European Delegated Prosecutors appointed;
- 275 staff members at the central office in Luxembourg.
Visit our dedicated page ‘2024 in numbers’
The full Annual Report 2024 can be consulted here:
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.