In 2018, the number of fraudulent irregularities affecting the EU budget remained stable compared to 2017, but the financial amounts involved increased by 183%. This is the conclusion of the 30th annual report on the protection of the EU's financial interests, published on Friday 11 October by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
The OLAF report shows that a total of 11 638 irregularities, fraudulent or not, have been reported to the European Commission, a 25% decrease compared to 2017. These irregularities amounted to approximately €2.5 billion, a stable figure compared to the previous year.
Fraudulent irregularities. In 2018, a total of 1 152 irregularities were reported as fraudulent (10% of all irregularities detected and reported), amounting to €1.19 billion (48% of the total financial amounts affected by irregularities) and affecting both the expenditure and revenue side of the EU budget. The number of fraudulent irregularities reported in 2018 remained stable compared to 2017.
Cohesion top of the list. The financial amounts involved have increased by a very large proportion, namely 183%. Looking at a five-year period (2014-2018), this number was 27% lower than in 2014, and 16% lower than the five-year average.
This sharp increase in 2018 affects cohesion policy: 76 cases reported in Slovakia, for an amount of 747.6 million euros, 44 cases in Romania for a total of 58.2 million euros, or 94 cases in Poland for an amount of 51.6 million euros.
OLAF investigations. In 2018, OLAF opened 219 investigations and closed 167, recommending financial recoveries worth €371 million. At the end of the fiscal year, 414 investigations were still ongoing. Link to the report: https://bit.ly/35t4N3M (Original in French by Lionel Changeur)