Europees anti-fraude bureau wordt hervormd: duidelijker afbakening en versterking onafhankelijkheid (en)

The European Parliament i adopted a report introducing 92 amendments to a Commission proposal, which proposes changes to regulation on investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office i (OLAF). To strengthen the efficiency of the European Anti-Fraud Office and to clarify the legal framework of its mission, the report asks the Commission i to progress without any further delays on a consolidation of the legal texts on Community administrative investigations.

OLAF staff should work in full independence

The report also proposes that a human resources management be established, which is more adapted to the operational needs of OLAF, so as to ensure that staff can execute the mission of OLAF in full independence.

Similarly, in order to reinforce complete independence, the Director General should be appointed for a term of five years, renewable once. "The Director General shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government or any institution, body, office or agency in the performance of his duties with regard to the opening and carrying out of external and internal investigations or to the drafting of reports following such investigations," the report says.

Member States and EU institutions should report regularly to OLAF

To improve the operational, legal and administrative framework for combating fraud, the European Parliament says that the competent authorities of Member States and the European institutions, bodies, offices and agencies should be required to report regularly to OLAF on progress made as regards action taken in response to the final investigation report issued by OLAF.

Freedom of the press to be guaranteed

To make it possible to provide objective information to European taxpayers and in order to guarantee freedom of the press, the report asks that "all EU bodies involved in the investigation respect the principle of protecting journalists' sources in accordance with national legislation". This amendment is made with reference to the "Tillack Affair", in which judicial abuses were committed against a German journalist who had revealed corruption in the operations of an EU agency.

Respect for people's rights

The report mentions the fundamental rights of the persons concerned by investigations, stating that they "should be respected at all times, particularly when providing information. There is a need to clarify the basic principles of OLAF's information policy.