Former European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was taken into custody Tuesday as Belgian police staged raids in Brussels and Bruges over suspected fraud tied to contracts for training future European diplomats, AFP reported.
Mogherini, who served as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2019, now heads the College of Europe graduate school. Its premises, along with the offices of the European External Action Service (EEAS), were searched.
The 52-year-old Italian was arrested in Brussels together with the deputy head of the College of Europe and Stefano Sannino, former EEAS secretary general (2021-2024), according to a source close to the matter. The three can be held for up to 48 hours before a possible appearance before a magistrate.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) confirmed that “three suspects” were detained as “part of a probe into suspected fraud related to EU-funded training for junior diplomats.” The contract in question was worth about €650,000.
Belgian federal police carried out the searches at EPPO’s request, also targeting the suspects’ homes. At issue is a nine‑month training program for junior diplomats, the EU Diplomatic Academy, awarded by the EEAS to the College of Europe in 2021-2022. Investigators are examining whether the tender process was skewed to favor the school.
Mogherini has led the College of Europe since 2020 and took charge of the EU Diplomatic Academy in 2022. EPPO noted: “There are strong suspicions that… confidential information related to the ongoing procurement was shared with one of the candidates participating in the tender.”
The College of Europe confirmed searches at its Bruges campus and pledged to “fully cooperate with the authorities in the interest of transparency and respect for the investigative process.” It added: “The College remains committed to the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and compliance - both in academic and administrative matters.”
Mogherini saw her immunity lifted before the raids. EPPO stated that if confirmed, the allegations “could constitute procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy.”