EPPO and the protection of eu financial interests: challenges, cooperation, and the road ahead - fondazione lelio e lisli basso

The Lelio and Lisli Basso Foundation is pleased to announce the international conference “EPPO and the Protection of EU Financial Interests: Challenges, Cooperation, and the Road Ahead”, which will take place in Rome on 17–18 September 2026.

The conference will bring together representatives of European and national institutions, members of the judiciary, academics, and experts to discuss the key challenges in protecting the European Union’s financial interests, the role of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), and cooperation in combating fraud affecting the EU budget.

Program Registration Form International conference EPPO and the Protection of EU Financial Interests: Challenges, Cooperation, and the Road Ahead Rome, 17-18 September 2026 Europa Experience – David Sassoli Piazza Venezia 6c Thursday, 17 September 2026 09:00–09:20 – Registration 09:20- 09:40 – Welcome addresses Franco Ippolito, President of Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso Carlo Corazza, Head of the Office of the European Parliament in Italy 09:40–10:10 – Opening speeches Andrea Venegoni, European Prosecutor Peter Csonka, Director (acting) for Justice Policies in DG JUSTICE, European Commission Pietro Gaeta, General Prosecutor at the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation Giovanni Melillo, National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor Antonino Raimondo, Commander of the Special Currency Police Unit, Guardia di Finanza Chair – Luigi Marini, Magistrate, Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso Session I – EPPO: An initial assessment and institutional cooperation Topics: This first session will be dedicated to an evaluation of EPPO’s operations in these first years of work and of its interaction with OLAF, Eurojust, and national authorities 10:10 –11:30 Francesco Lo Gerfo, Seconded national expert at European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Gianluca Forlani, Assistant to the National Member for Italy at Eurojust Mariarosaria Guglielmi, European Delegated Prosecutor (EDP) Francesca Ruggieri, Professor of criminal procedure, University of Insubria (Como) Chiara Ricci, Legal Secretary at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) Chair: Peter Csonka, Director (acting) for Justice Policies in DG JUSTICE, European Commission 12:00–13:00 – Panel Discussion and Q&A 13:00–14:00 – Lunch Session II – PIF Directive and EPPO competence Topics: This session will be dedicated to an in-depth examination of the legislative and practical implementation of the PIF Directive, emphasizing its implications for EPPO jurisdiction and the coordination of cross-border investigations.

14:00–16:00 Valsamis Mitsilegas, Professor of European and Global Law and Dean of the School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool Michele Caianiello, Professor of Criminal Procedure at the University of Bologna Rosaria Sicurella, Full Professor of Criminal Law, University of Catania Pasquale Profiti, European Delegated Prosecutor (EDP) Chair: Lorena Bachmaier Winter, Full Professor in justice systems and procedure, at the Complutense University in Madrid 16:00–17:00 – Panel Discussion and Q&A Friday, 18 September 2026 Session III – Transnational investigations: inside and beyond EPPO Topics: Operational challenges and cooperation in cross-border investigations, including with third countries 09:30–11:30 Danilo Ceccarelli, Senior coordinator- Fight against organized crime, EPPO Davide D’Auria, Head of the Economic Crime Unit at Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC) Gaetano De Amicis, President of section of the Italian Court of Cassation Gabriella Di Paolo, Professor of Criminal Procedural Law at the University of Trento Nicholas Franssen, Counsellor at Ministry of Justice and Security in The Netherlands Chair: Katalin Ligeti, Professor of European and International Criminal Law at University of Luxembourg 12:00–13.00 – Panel Discussion and Q&A 13:00 – 14:00 – Lunch Session IV – The future of EPPO: powers and geopolitical challenges Topics: Strategic perspectives on expanding EPPO’s competencies in light of new EU policies (green transition, defense, customs) 14:00-16:00 Fabio Giuffrida, Head of the Antifraud Criminal Policy Sector, Criminal Justice Unit, DG JUST, European Commission Caterina Chinnici, Vice-president of the CONT Committee of the European Parliament Danilo Ceccarelli, Senior coordinator- Fight against organized crime, EPPO Nicoletta Parisi, Adjunct Professor of Laws and Policies on Countering Domestic and International Corruption at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan John Vervaele, Emeritus professor at Utrecht Law School and professor at College of Europe in Bruges Chair: Lorenzo Salazar, Deputy Prosecutor General at the Court of Appeal of Naples (ret.

) 16:00–17:00 – Panel Discussion and Q&A 17:00 – Closing Remarks: Andrea Venegoni, European Prosecutor Working languages: English and Italian (simultaneous interpretation will be provided) The event will be streamed on the Fondazione Basso YouTube channel This conference is funded by the European Union’s EUAF Programme.