What's happened
Belgian authorities raided the College of Europe and EU diplomatic offices, detaining Federica Mogherini and Stefano Sannino amid investigations into procurement fraud, corruption, and conflict of interest related to a 2021-2022 EU-funded diplomat training program. Both were later released without charges.
What's behind the headline?
The raids highlight ongoing concerns about transparency and integrity within EU institutions. Mogherini’s leadership roles at the College of Europe and the EU Diplomatic Academy place her at the center of the controversy, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. The investigation underscores the EU’s efforts to combat procurement fraud and corruption, but also risks damaging the reputation of its diplomatic training programs. The fact that suspects have been released suggests the case is still developing, but the focus on procurement procedures indicates that the EU will likely tighten oversight to prevent future irregularities. This case may also influence broader debates about governance and accountability in EU-funded projects, with potential reforms on the horizon.
What the papers say
The coverage from France 24, AP News, The Independent, Politico, and Al Jazeera presents a consistent narrative of the police raids and detention of Mogherini and Sannino. France 24 emphasizes the detention and subsequent release, highlighting the investigation's focus on procurement fraud and conflict of interest. AP News and The Independent detail the scope of the raids and the ongoing investigation, noting the involvement of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Anti-Fraud Office. Politico provides context on Mogherini’s background and the controversy surrounding her appointment, while Al Jazeera underscores the procedural aspects of the raids and the focus on the EU Diplomatic Academy tender process. The sources collectively portray a complex picture of an EU institution under scrutiny, with no charges yet filed but significant procedural steps taken.
How we got here
The investigation stems from suspicions that the EU awarded a training program contract to the College of Europe in Bruges through a skewed tender process. Mogherini, who heads the college and the EU Diplomatic Academy, and Sannino, a senior EU official, were detained during police raids in December 2025. The probe focuses on whether confidential information was improperly shared and if rules around fair competition were breached, with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office overseeing the case.
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More on these topics
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Federica Mogherini is an Italian politician who served as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019.
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The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the diplomatic service in charge of executing all international relations of the European Union. The EEAS is led by the vice-president of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP
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The College of Europe (French: Collège d'Europe; Dutch: Europacollege; Polish: Kolegium Europy) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with three campuses in Bruges, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tirana, Albania.
The College of Europe in Bruges.
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Josep Borrell Fontelles is a Spanish politician. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, he serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation since 2018.
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Kaja Kallas is an Estonian politician and the prime minister of Estonia since 26 January 2021. She has been the leader of the Reform Party since 2018, and a member of Riigikogu since 2019, and previously from 2011 to 2014.
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Stefano Sannino is an Italian diplomat and European civil servant.
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Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.
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The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.