Andreas Riter begins term as EU Prosecutor General

German lawyer Andreas Riter has officially begun a seven-year mandate as the Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). Riter, who previously served as deputy, succeeds Laura Koveši, who led the institution since its formal operations began in 2020.

Selected by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in March, Riter brings extensive experience in economic and cybercrime from his career in Germany. Analysts describe him as a technocrat, contrasting with the more outspoken style of his predecessor.

The EPPO, headquartered in Luxembourg, is tasked with investigating and prosecuting cross-border crimes affecting the EU budget. The office faces a significant workload, with reports from late 2025 indicating a record 3,062 active cases involving estimated damages exceeding 67 billion euros. A large portion of these losses, approximately 45 billion euros, is attributed to customs and VAT fraud.