The
European Union budget finances a wide range of programmes and projects which
improve the lives of citizens across the EU and beyond. Improper use of funds
provided by the Union budget or the evasion of the taxes, duties and levies, which
fund the Union budget directly harms European citizens and prejudices the
entire European project.
While it
has an individual independent status for the investigative function, OLAF is
also part of the European Commission, under the responsibility of Algirdas
Šemeta, Commissioner in charge of Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and
Anti-Fraud.
The mission
of the European Anti-Fraud Office is threefold:
it protects
the financial interests of the European Union (EU) by investigating fraud,
corruption and any other illegal activities;
it detects
and investigates serious matters relating to the discharge of professional
duties by members and staff of the EU institutions and bodies that could result
in disciplinary or criminal proceedings;
it supports
the EU institutions, in particular the European Commission, in the development
and implementation of anti-fraud legislation and policies.
By
performing its mission as effectively as possible OLAF contributes to the
efforts made by the EU Institutions to guarantee that the best use is made of
taxpayers’ money.