Roundtable ‘United we stand: National and supranational law enforcement in defence of the EU budget’

Date: 26 May 2020
Location: Luxembourg University (Luxembourg)
Final programme

This Roundtable inaugurates the activities of EULEN at the University of Luxembourg. Led by Utrecht University and composed of nine Universities, the Network brings together academics and practitioners to address the challenges for EU law enforcement in a world without territorial borders.

The Roundtable will focus on the protection of the European Union’s financial interests. The importance of that field is underlined by the recent establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), based in Luxembourg and entrusted with the investigation and prosecution of crimes affecting the Union budget. Being the first EU body to exercise direct criminal law powers vis-à-vis the individuals, the EPPO represents a paradigm shift and, at the same time, raises new questions for the enforcement of EU law.

These and further questions will be addressed during the Roundtable by looking at the national, supranational, and transnational enforcement of EU law in the field of the protection of the Union’s financial interests. In addition to the EPPO, topics covered include the recent case law of European courts on ne bis in idem, the new Directive on the protection of whistle-blowers, and the key features of national and supranational anti-fraud investigations. The Roundtable’s distinguished participants will exchange views on different challenges connected with the protection of the Union’s budget, which interweave with topical issues such as the credibility of the EU in the eyes of its citizens and the respect of the rule of law.