“The PPE Group is proud to offer its full cooperation” to judicial authorities, a spokesperson for Weber and the PPE Group said in a statement to POLITICO, adding that no external auditor “currently has any open cases of alleged embezzlement.”

Layered query

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is in charge of investigating serious crimes that affect the financial interests of the European Union and liaises with national authorities for their investigations.

Asked about the EPP investigation, a spokesperson for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which does not normally comment on ongoing cases, said: “We have an ongoing investigation into allegations of embezzlement of EU funds committed in Belgium by members of a political group in the European Parliament. However, at this stage, this investigation is simply limited to the facts and there are no suspects. Whenever we can say something about any of our investigations, we will do so proactively.”

When asked about the EPP case, the spokesperson for the Belgian prosecutor’s office declined to give further details.

“The investigation is led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and therefore I cannot comment on the case,” said Eric Van Der Sypt, spokesman for the Belgian prosecutor’s office.

Last year, the Belgian and German police raided the EPP headquarters in Brussels as part of an investigation into suspected bribery in business transactions during the 2019 elections. The investigation was led by the German anti-corruption authority, but the EPP dismissed it as “unfounded.” There is no evidence that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation is related to this.

The investigation comes while Weber is being challenged by internal dissidents about his management of the party, which is intended to reform in the coming months, and while revolutionizing the organization of the parliamentary group by installing a new general secretary.