The Legal Affairs Committee adopted the report by Jean-Marie CAVADA (ALDE, FR) on the request for waiver of the immunity of Ingeborg GRÄSSLE (EPP, DE).
As a reminder, the public prosecutor’s office in Ellwangen forwarded a request for waiver of the immunity of Ingeborg GRÄSSLE, Member of the European Parliament, in connection with an offence within the meaning of Article 229 of the German Criminal Code. In particular, the proceedings relate to allegations of causing of physical injury through negligence.
On 10 June 2017, at a junction in Heidenheim, she drove through a red light and caused an accident in which a person suffered a shoulder injury. A private action has been brought for damages.
The Committee on Legal Affairs considered that the alleged offence did not have a clear or direct bearing on the performance by Ingeborg GRÄSSLE of her duties as a Member of the European Parliament within the meaning of Article 8 of Protocol No 7 on the privileges and immunities of the European Union.
In this case, Parliament found no evidence of fumus persecutionis, i.e. a sufficiently serious and precise suspicion that the proceedings have been brought with the intention of causing the Member political damage.
Therefore, Members recommended that the European Parliament to waive the immunity of Ingeborg GRÄSSLE.