Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

The Chairman

IPOL-COM-LIBE D (2019) 8207

Mr Antonio TAJANI
President of the European Parliament
Conference of Presidents
Brussels

Subject: Appointment of the European Chief Prosecutor - Results of the LIBE vote
of 27 February 2019 further to the hearing of the candidates
- Request for a mandate for negotiations with the Council

Dear Mr. President,

I would like to inform you of the outcome of the hearings the LIBE Committee held yesterday
with the CONT Committee regarding the procedure for the appointment of the European Chief
Prosecutor.

On 4 February 2019 the Chair of the selection panel established in accordance with Article 14 of
the Council Regulation 2017/1939 transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council, the
list of the three shortlisted candidates, with the following order of preference: Ms Laura Codruţa
KÖVESI first, Mr Jean-François BOHNERT second and Mr Andrés RITTER third.

As far as the Council is concerned, I understand that on 20 February the participating Member
States placed Mr BOHNERT first, followed by Ms KÖVESI and Mr RITTER at a joint second
place, on a list of preference.

The LIBE Committee took note of the CVs and of the motivation letters of those candidates as
well as their written answers to the questions sent to them ahead of the hearing.

On 26 February and following the principles you had set in your letter of 21 February the LIBE
Committee heard the three candidates with the CONT Committee.

The CONT Committee held a vote on 26 February in the evening (see the CONT Chair’s letter
attached).

The LIBE Coordinators met this morning for a preliminary assessment of the hearings after which
a vote was taken in the LIBE Committee by secret ballot pursuant to Rule 180a.

1
The result of the LIBE Committee vote is as follows:

- Ms Laura Codruţa KÖVESI: 26 votes

- Mr Jean-François BOHNERT: 22 votes
- Mr Andrés RITTER: 1 vote.

The number of voters was: 50, the number of votes cast: 49 (excluding blank or spoiled votes)
and the number of blank and spoiled: 1.

In light of the absence of convergence at this stage between the European Parliament and the
Council on the preferred candidate, I would like to ask the Conference of Presidents to mandate
me as LIBE Chair to negotiate with the Council in order to reach a "common accord" on the
European Chief Prosecutor as foreseen under Article 14 of Regulation 2017/1939. Negotiations
will be conducted with the Council on the basis of Article 14 of the EPPO Regulation. I will liaise
with the CONT Committee Chair. I will keep you and the Conference of Presidents fully
informed in view of finalising the procedure.

Yours sincerely,

Claude MORAES

Enclosure: Letter by Ms Graessle, CONT Chair of 26 February 2019

CC: Ms Wikström, Conference of Committee Chair

Ms Graessle, CONT Committee Chair
IPOL-E-COORDLEG