High-Profile EU Officials Detained in Diplomatic Academy Tender Fraud Investigation

Belgian law enforcement authorities executed arrests on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, targeting senior European officials as part of an ongoing investigation spearheaded by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Among those taken into custody were Federica Mogherini, currently serving as the Rector of the College of Europe, and Stefano Sannino, the Director-General of DG NEAR within the European Commission, who previously held the position of Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) until early 2025. A third senior staff member from the College of Europe was also detained alongside them.

The operation involved coordinated searches conducted at the EEAS headquarters in Brussels and across the grounds of the College of Europe campus situated in Bruges. Significant support for this legal action was provided by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The core focus of the EPPO's criminal inquiry centers on the procurement process for awarding the contract related to the European Diplomatic Academy training program, which covered the 2021–2022 period.

The central hypothesis guiding the investigation suggests that representatives from the College of Europe may have improperly gained access to confidential details concerning the evaluation criteria for tender submissions. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the competitive bidding process. Crucially, the EPPO successfully secured the lifting of diplomatic immunity for the individuals involved, which paved the way for the detentions to proceed.

The distinguished careers of the detained officials add considerable weight to this case. Federica Mogherini notably served as the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy between 2014 and 2019. Stefano Sannino's tenure as Secretary-General of the EEAS spanned from 2021 to 2024, before he took the helm of DG NEAR in February 2025.

Following questioning by the Federal Judicial Police of Belgium, the three individuals were subsequently released, as investigators determined they did not pose a flight risk; however, they remain officially under suspicion. The allegations leveled against them include procurement fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, and breaches of professional secrecy. It is also noteworthy that the College of Europe purchased a building in Bruges in 2022 for approximately 3.2 million euros, intended to house participants in the Diplomatic Academy program, a transaction that is also under scrutiny.

The investigation, which originated following administrative audits conducted by OLAF, continues to develop, intensifying the conversation surrounding the necessity of bolstering ethical benchmarks within the EU's administrative bodies. While released for the time being, the shadow of these serious allegations hangs over the involved institutions, demanding full transparency as the case moves forward.