The European Union has been hit by a new corruption scandal. On December 2, Belgian police conducted large-scale searches at the EU’s main diplomatic body—the European External Action Service (EEAS)—as well as the prestigious College of Europe in Bruges. Three individuals were arrested on suspicion of procurement fraud and misuse of EU funds, as reported by Euractiv.
Tender for the Diplomatic Academy (EEAS) Is Central to the Investigation
The investigation, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), concerns the alleged misuse of public EU funds during 2021 and 2022.
Investigators are reviewing the circumstances under which the College of Europe received funding to establish the new EU Diplomatic Academy, an annual training program for European diplomats.
Specifically, investigators are looking into whether the College of Europe or its representatives had access to confidential information about the public tender before its official announcement.
The scandal centers on the College of Europe’s purchase of a building in Bruges for €3.2 million shortly before the EEAS announced the tender, which required accommodation for students.
Ultimately, the College of Europe received €654,000 in funding to host the academy. Investigators suspect this transaction may constitute criminal conflict of interest and procurement fraud.
Federica Mogherini Under Scrutiny
The College of Europe is led by Federica Mogherini, the former Italian Foreign Minister who served as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs (meaning she headed the EEAS) from 2014 to 2019. She took over the College of Europe in 2020 and became the director of the EU Diplomatic Academy when it opened in 2022, which is the period when the alleged violations took place.
While no official charges have been filed against anyone yet, the investigation also covers the period when the EEAS was headed by Josep Borrell (Mogherini’s successor).
College of Europe: The Alma Mater of Eurocrats
NEWSROOM IN notes that the College of Europe was founded in 1949 and is widely regarded as a training ground for European diplomats and civil servants. Its alumni include many leading politicians and officials within the EU institutions.
The scandal, however, is related to a newer initiative: the EU Diplomatic Academy, which is hosted at the College and opened in 2022. Suspicions of fraud arose specifically concerning the tender process for the Academy’s financing.
The EU Diplomatic Academy is a new program initiated by the European External Action Service (EEAS) (during Josep Borrell’s tenure) to establish a unified training system for active European diplomats and staff.
However, Federica Mogherini’s transition from her leadership role at the EEAS (High Representative) to the position of Rector of the College—which subsequently won a major contract from the EEAS—is widely seen as an example of a “revolving door” or an honorary sinecure, forming the basis for the suspicions regarding a conflict of interest.