On 18 March 2022, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi and Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova signed a working arrangement. Kövesi conveyed the support of the EPPO College to the Ukrainian colleagues, praising the strength and courage of Ukraine especially in the times of war. Furthermore, Kövesi assured that the EPPO will support its Ukrainian counterparts on their way to the EU with all available means.

The working arrangement sets out the framework for judicial cooperation in criminal matters and the exchange of information between the parties.

Regarding operational cooperation, the parties undertake to widely cooperate on the gathering of evidence and the freezing of assets in accordance with the existing international legal framework, in particular the 1959 CoE MLA Convention and its protocols and the 2005 CoE Anti-Money Laundering Convention. The setting up of joint investigation teams in cases that fall under the EPPO’s competence is also agreed on. The Ukraine recognizes extradition requests that are submitted by the competent authorities of the Member State of the handling European Delegated Prosecutor.

Other provisions of the working arrangement include:

• The exchange of strategic information;
• The secondment of liaison officers to the EPPO;
• EPPO contact points in Ukraine;
• High-level meetings, training sessions and other events;
• Technical support provided by the EPPO;
• Means and channels of communication;
• Protection of personal data, data security and liability.