A Complete System, an Incomplete Guarantee? Judicial Review of EPPO Procedural Acts after Mincu Pătrașcu Brâncuși (Case C-328/24 P)
Court of Justice, 16 April 2026, Case C-328/24 P, Mincu Pătrașcu Brâncuși v EPPO
Un sistema completo, una garanzia incompleta? Il controllo giurisdizionale sugli atti procedurali dell’EPPO dopo Mincu Pătrașcu Brâncuși (causa C-328/24 P)
Un système complet, une garantie incomplète ? Le contrôle juridictionnel des actes de procédure du Parquet européen après Mincu Pătrașcu Brâncuși (affaire C-328/24 P)
This article examines the Court of Justice’s judgment in Mincu Pătrașcu Brâncuși (C-328/24 P) and its implications for judicial review of procedural acts adopted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). While the Court confirms that Article 86(3) TFEU allows the EU legislature to allocate review of most EPPO procedural acts to national courts, the judgment leaves unresolved important questions concerning the practical effectiveness of those remedies. The article argues that the formal completeness of the system established by Article 42 of Regulation 2017/1939 does not necessarily guarantee effective judicial protection, particularly in relation to centralized decisions adopted by the EPPO’s Permanent Chambers. It concludes by proposing targeted reforms aimed at strengthening the timing, scope and effectiveness of judicial review.
