Sixteen European Union countries including Germany and France have launched plans to create an EU public prosecutor's office to combat fraud. <br/><br/>The EU council said in a statement in Brussels that settling for a smaller group to move forward on a long divisive issue indicates that the EU is now willing to embrace a multi-speed Europe as a way to strengthen Brussels after the shock of Brexit.<br/>'<br/>The bloc has for years failed to win unanimity among the 28 member states due to concerns over national sovereignty.<br/><br/>In addition to departing Britain, EU founding members Italy and the Netherlands are absent from the group.<br/><br/>The other countries taking part are Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia.