EU Parliament Debates Anti-Fraud Program
The European Parliament is debating the Union Anti-Fraud Programme, with lawmakers scrutinizing the effectiveness of bodies like OLAF and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). Key themes include pushes for stronger, harmonized whistleblower protections and calls for clearer mandates and enhanced investigatory powers for EU agencies.
- In 2023, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) recommended the recovery of €1.04 billion to the EU budget and opened 190 new investigations. OLAF's work in 2024 led to recommendations to recover €871.5 million. - The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) reported having 2,666 active investigations by the end of 2024, with estimated damages exceeding €24.8 billion. In early 2026, the EPPO has been involved in cases ranging from a clandestine cigarette factory in Italy to customs fraud in the Port of Antwerp. - A key area of concern is the inconsistent application of the EU Whistleblowing Directive, which was adopted in 2019 with a transposition deadline of December 2021. While all member states have adopted the law on paper as of July 2025, the European Commission has not yet confirmed if all national laws are fully compliant with the directive's standards. - The operational cooperation between OLAF and the EPPO, governed by a working arrangement signed in 2021, is intensifying. Recent joint efforts have targeted the misuse of EU development funds in Romania and a €9.5 million fraud and money laundering scheme involving European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources. - Current fraud trends investigated by OLAF include irregularities in procurement, conflicts of interest, and an increase in digital-related fraud. There is also a focus on fraud related to the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the circumvention of sanctions against Russia. - The EPPO's mandate covers crimes against the EU's financial interests, such as corruption, money laundering, and cross-border VAT fraud involving damages of at least €10 million. - Not all EU member states participate in the EPPO; its jurisdiction is based on an enhanced cooperation model. In 2024, with the addition of Poland and Sweden, the number of participating member states reached 24.
