The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has launched a second investigation into possible fraud involving European Union funds for the maintenance and upgrade of Spain’s Madrid‑Seville high‑speed railway line, Xinhua reported on Friday.
According to an EPPO statement, investigators are targeting the country’s railway infrastructure manager ADIF, the Spanish Railway Safety Agency (AESF) and the Court of Auditors. The probe is being supported by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Spanish Civil Guard and was initiated by the EPPO on its own initiative. The investigation concerns EU funds that were allocated to upgrading the line’s safety, signalling and communication systems. A fatal train crash occurred near Urda, in Toledo province, on Oct. 28 on the same railway line.
This is the second inquiry by the EPPO into the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed line. The first investigation was launched in March 2026 into possible fraud involving EU funds for railway maintenance near Adamuz, where a train accident in January killed 46 people. The EPPO said it had exceptionally decided to confirm the opening of the investigation, given the high level of public interest, and that it would not disclose further details at this stage.
