Protecting The EU’s financial interests: from the very beginning to the birth of The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

EPPO’s first annual report shows that 2,832 crime reports have been processed, 576 investigations opened since June 1, 2021, 515 investigations active as of December 31, 2021, € 5.4 billion of estimated damages in active investigations, 147.3 million euro of seizures, three times the actual 2021 budget of the EPPO. We seem to have waited too long for a centralized body to protect the EU budget. This document tries to explain why such a long process was necessary and what criticalities can exist in this matter.