OLAF publishes Annual Activity Report
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) presented its new Annual Activity Report, which illustrates its work inside and outside the EU in the form of numerous case studies and statistical tables.
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) presented its new Annual Activity Report, which illustrates its work inside and outside the EU in the form of numerous case studies and statistical tables.
During 2008 OLAF opened 204 new cases “OLAF again experienced a significant increase in the amount of information received, which confirms public confidence in our work against fraud and corruption,” OLAF Director-General Franz-Hermann Brüner said on the occasion of the presentation of the latest OLAF Activity Report in Brussels. “In the 10 th year of its existence, OLAF is well-established and has earned a high reputation internationally. But OLAF cannot fight fraud and corruption on its own: our success also relies on our partners in the Member States, third countries, international organisations and in the EU Institutions,” he emphasized.
This year's Report puts a particular focus on the judicial follow-up of its investigations. Since its creation in 1999, OLAF has opened more than 3000 cases. Over 300 individuals have been sentenced by criminal courts as a result of OLAF's investigations to a combined total of nearly 875 years of imprisonment, of which 208 were suspended.
The financial benefit of OLAF's actions for the EU taxpayer was again considerable. Whilst the preventive effect of the Office's work cannot be measured in figures, in 2008 a sum exceeding 460 million Euros was recorded as recovered in connection with OLAF cases. Over the same period, the Office's operational costs amounted to 53 million Euros.
OLAF continues to be trusted to deal efficiently with new information on potential irregularities, fraud or corruption in a large variety of case. Examples include embezzlement in health projects in Uganda, evasion of anti-dumping duties for silicon metal from China, or an agent in a Commission delegation allegedly asking for bribes in exchange for attributing contracts.
This year's report explains OLAF's role as watchdog for the protection of EU funds drawing on the example of operations in Bulgaria. It also describes innovative methods of fraud detection like the provision of powerful analytical tools and know-how to facilitate and enhance the examination of Research Framework Programme data.
Background
The European Anti-Fraud Office issues annually a report on its independent operational activities during the previous year. This report should be distinguished from the European Commission's “Report on the Protection of the financial interests of the Communities - fight against fraud” which will be published later this month.
Both reports can be downloaded from the OLAF website: