As indicated in the explanatory statement contained in the Donnez report, the concept of fumus persecutionis means essentially that immunity is not waived when it is suspected that criminal proceedings are intended at bottom to undermine the political activity of the Member concerned.
Kā jau tas ir noteikts G. Donnez ziņojuma paskaidrojošajā daļā, "fumus persecutionis" jēdziens faktiski nozīmē, ka imunitāti neatceļ, ja pastāv aizdomas, ka kriminālvajāšanas pamatā ir nodoms traucēt deputāta politisko darbību.