Conference on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) at the University of Coimbra

On the 30th of June and 1st of July 2022, the Portuguese and the Spanish Groups of the AIDP held a Conference on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) at the University of Coimbra, a joint organisation supported by the Institute of Economic and European Criminal Law (www.fd.uc.pt/idpee/) and the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (www.uc.pt/en/fduc/). It was held in person but also streamed via Zoom, reaching a total audience of over 180 spectators.

Prof. Jónatas Machado (Director of the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra), Prof. John Vervaele (President of the AIDP), Prof. Anabela Miranda Rodrigues and Prof. María Acale Sánchez (President of the Portuguese Group and Vice-President of the Spanish Groups of the AIDP, respectively) intervened at the opening session of the Conference, whose panels featured the Portuguese and Spanish Prosecutors at the EPPO, academics from different Universities of both countries, and young penalists selected by a scientific committee (https://aidp-pt.org/2022/07/01/conferencia-procuradoria-europeia-programa-completo/).

The Conference sought to reflect about the EPPO as another milestone in the development of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. It addressed both the institutional setting of the EPPO (within the context of its relations with other EU agencies and with the Member States) and its organic framework (internal organisation). It also addressed its substantive and investigative competences, as well as the guarantees provided to the targeted individuals.