The College of Europe rector and former top European Union diplomat Federica Mogherini has resigned amid an ongoing fraud scandal.
“In line with the utmost rigour and fairness with which I always carried out my duties, today I decided to resign as Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the European Union Diplomatic Academy,” Mogherini said in a statement today.
“I am sure that the College community across our three campuses will continue on the path to innovation and excellence that we have charted together over these past wonderful five years,” she added.
Mogherini was officially charged yesterday for alleged fraud involving EU funds.
On December 2, Belgian police raided the College of Europe and the European External Action Service (EEAS) buildings as part of a criminal investigation into the suspected fraud.
In an initial statement yesterday, Mogherini said she had “full confidence in the justice system, and I trust that the correctness of the College’s actions will be ascertained”.
“I will obviously continue to offer my full collaboration to the authorities,” she said.
Mogherini led the institution since 2020.
She is an Italian career politician best known for her role as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and as a Vice-President of the European Commission between 2014 and 2019.
Her resignation followed the departure of Stefano Sannino, one of the EC’s senior directors, who was also taken into custody by Belgian authorities as part of the fraud investigation.
The EC confirmed yesterday that he was “no longer serving in his function”.
