Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and two others have been formally accused of procurement fraud and corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy.
The three individuals were detained on Tuesday as part of an EU fraud investigation and have now been released while the investigation is ongoing, the European Public Prosecutor's Office said on Wednesday.
It added that they were not considered a flight risk.
EPPO referred to the other two suspects as a senior staff member at the College of Europe in Bruges and a senior official from the European Commission.
Three sources told Reuters that one of the detainees was senior EU diplomat Stefano Sannino.
Neither Mogherini nor Sannino could be reached for comment.
"All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the competent Belgian courts of law," EPPO also said.
The investigation focuses on allegations of favouritism in awarding a training programme for future EU diplomats.
The iniative, run by the European External Action Service (EEAS), was assigned to the College of Europe, an elite institution that has trained Europe’s civil service since 1949.
Belgian police carried out searches at both the EEAS offices in Brussels and the College of Europe campus in Bruges as part of the inquiry.
Mogherini, who led the EU’s diplomatic service from 2014 to 2019, currently serves as rector of the College of Europe. Sannino, formerly EEAS secretary general, now holds the role of director general for the Commission’s Middle East, North Africa, and Gulf department.
Both the EEAS and the College of Europe have pledged full cooperation with authorities, reaffirming their commitment to transparency and integrity.
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A senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday (6 May), highlighting ongoing tensions despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted a swift end to the war with Iran, as Tehran considers a U.S.-backed peace proposal that sources say could formally end the conflict but leaves several core disputes unresolved.
Asian stocks surged to record highs on 7 May as investors priced in growing hopes of a potential Middle East peace deal, while oil prices eased and the U.S. dollar weakened amid shifting global risk sentiment.
Trump said the U.S. and Iran were making progress in peace talks, though direct negotiations remain premature. Meanwhile, Israel, reportedly, struck senior Hezbollah and Hamas figures and tensions over Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran wanted to negotiate and make a deal in comments to reporters on Wednesday (6 May). But earlier, he warned Washington would ramp up attacks if no agreement was reached.
Argentinian authorities are reconstructing the journeys of Dutch citizens who presented with symptoms of deadly hantavirus after visiting Argentina and Chile as part of a luxury cruise trip, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday (6 May)
The United Arab Emirate said it was dealing with missile and drone attacks from Iran for the second day in a row on Tuesday (5 May), despite denials from authorities in Tehran who threatened a "crushing response" if the UAE retaliated.
The 61st Venice Biennale has opened under grey skies and political tension, with disputes over Russia and Israel, resignations on the jury, and protests marking the start of one of the art world’s most high-profile events.
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European Union countries and European Parliament lawmakers have agreed on a softened version of the bloc’s landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delayed implementation, in a move critics say reflects growing concessions to major technology firms.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains central to efforts to curb nuclear arms. More than 50 years after entering into force, it faces mounting pressure from geopolitical rivalry, modernisation and disputes over disarmament.
Latvian authorities said two drones entered NATO member Latvia from Russian territory and crashed on Thursday morning, with officials linking them to Ukraine’s wider drone operations against targets in Russia.
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