Brussels, 28/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) on 17 and 18 November in Brussels held the third European conference of fraud prosecutors, on the theme: “Working together to protect the financial interests of the European Community against fraud or corruption”. The meeting focussed on two problems: - fraud affecting agricultural and commercial trade; - VAT fraud. In the first area, OLAF legal experts said that “those who seek to fraudulently take advantage or circumvent these regulations cause serious harm to the financial interests of the EU and developing countries". VAT fraud is “on a large scale”, acknowledged experts, noting that "there is often a link to organised crime, terrorism and money laundering”. Also, since VAT is not “popular” (like any other tax), European citizens have the right to “entitled to expect that the Member States, the Commission, OLAF, Eurojust and all others concerned take all necessary measures to prevent and fight fraud in this area”, experts warned.