Brussels, 02/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - Franz-Hermann Bruener took over his duties as director of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), on Wednesday. Announcing his appointment to the press on Thursday, Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer admitted that this "had taken considerable time because the three Institutions took part". OLAF too effect on 1 June last but the Parliament, Council and Commission have taken six months to come to an agreement, end December, on the name of the director, German national Franz-Hermann Bruener, at the time Head of Unit of the anti-fraud actions of the High Representative Bureau in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Knudsen, former director of the anti-fraud office UCLAF (which disappeared with the appearance of OLAF), will take over caretaker directorship.
Speaking before the press, the Commissioner and the new director refused to comment on the different investigations in progress at OLAF. They evoked, on the other hand, legal action surrounding the setting in place of the Office, and more particularly the action initiated by the Commission against the European Investment Bank. The Commissioner said he was "optimistic" about seeing an a greement come "very rapidly" between the EIB and the Commission. The latter had referrd the case to the Court of Justice mid-January against the EIB and the European Central Bank as these two banks "had taken decisions which do not correspond to the OLAF agreement, concerning the right of inquiry and access to premises and documents".