Hungary will join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office after the European Commission adopted a decision confirming its participation.
Hungary asked to join in May 2026 and will become the 25th EU member to take part in the EPPO, the Commission said in a statement on Friday.
The EPPO is an EU body that investigates and prosecutes crimes affecting the EU budget, such as fraud and corruption involving EU funds.
“The people of Hungary will now have a safeguard in place to ensure EU funds work in their interest,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The Commission said the EPPO will have a permanent presence in Hungary and will be able to investigate and prosecute crimes involving EU funds committed in the country after 1 June 2021, when the office began operations.
What changes with Hungary joining
The Commission said the EPPO Regulation will stop operating under “enhanced cooperation” — an EU mechanism that allows a group of countries to integrate more closely in a policy area — and will become part of EU law known as the acquis.
As a result, any future country joining the EU would be required to join the EPPO.
The decision will take effect 20 days after publication in the EU’s Official Journal.
Hungary must propose three candidates to serve as its European Prosecutor, with one to be appointed by the Council of the EU after an opinion from an independent panel.
Hungary will also need to propose European Delegated Prosecutors — national-level prosecutors who work on EPPO cases — and take steps to ensure the office can operate, including providing staff and resources.
The EPPO was established in 2021 and by the end of December 2025 was handling more than 3,600 cases.
Denmark and Ireland do not participate because they have opted out of this EU justice area under the treaties.
