On 23 February 2018, the Bulgarian Council Presidency released information about the state of play regarding preparations for implementing the EU Regulation of October 2017 establishing the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The following preparatory measures so far are the most notable:

• Appointment of the interim Administrative Director;
• Setting up of the EPPO Expert Group;
• Delegated Act listing the categories of operational personal data and the categories of data subjects;
• Selection and appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor;
• Vacancy notice for the European Chief Prosecutor;
• Selection of the European Prosecutors;
• Case Management System;
• Budget.

The Presidency paper also summarises the current state of play as regards the most intensively debated topic, i.e. the cooperation between the EPPO and other EU bodies, in particular OLAF. As far as OLAF is concerned, the Council already agreed on key features in the working groups (see the news on OLAF). They were endorsed by the JHA Council at its meeting on 9 March 2018.

In essence, Member States agreed that a smooth cooperation between OLAF and the EPPO must be established so that the two bodies can properly exercise their competences under the EPPO Regulation.

In this context, the Bulgarian Presidency highlighted that the characteristics of the EPPO as an investigative agency should be taken into account when information and reports necessary for triggering criminal investigations are provided by OLAF.