Alarming Number of Fraud and Irregularities concerning EU-Funds

Total Damage doubled up to nearly 1.5 billion Euros in 2009

7963 irregularities reported EU Member States to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in 2009. 12% of the total damage (about 180 million Euros) originated through intentionally fraud.

An irregularity is against the EU law wand has an effect of prejudicing the EU’s financial interests. Every irregularity committed intentionally is a criminal offence. EU Member States have to report suspicious fraud or other detected irregularities. Especially in the fields of Agriculture, Cohesion Policy and Pre-Accession Funds the financial impact of irregularities (+ 52%) and Fraud (+42%) increased comparing to 2008 clearly.

The methods of detection are different within the Member States. In 2009 the majority of cases (75%) were detected by means of primary national inspections or post-clearance control audits. In doing so the Responsible have to deal with questions like:

• How to differentiate fraud from irregularity?
• What is the most effective approach to combat fraud in the area of Cohesion policy?
• How to prepare an exhaustive fraud audit strategy?
• What it the right procedure for reporting irregularities and fraud?
• What are the implications in case of fraud?

In order to discourage fraud activities, programme manager and auditors must conduct a combination of joint efforts. In particular, they need to be alert with regard to fraud in the procedure of granting the finances to the beneficiaries. The first of a series of European Seminars from the European Academy for Taxes, Economics & Law will take place from the 15th – 16th of November 2010 in Berlin. The primary responsibility for rightful spending of the European Funds and for prevention as these European Seminars focus on how to develop an efficient fraud audit strategy and how to monitor and control to prevent fraud in EU funded projects. It examines the possibilities for strengthening the management and control systems for fraud prevention and provides guidance on how to understand the indicators and to proceed in case of fraud detection.

The target groups for this Seminar are Managing Authorities, Certifying Authorities, Audit Authorities, Intermediate Bodies, Anti-Fraud Coordination Services (AFCOSs) and National Courts of Auditors.

The European Academy for Taxes, Economy & Law offers expertise in the core areas of common European law and regulations: EU Funding, Taxes, State Aid, Energy & the Environment, IT, Internal Affairs and Internal Security.

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Stephanie Matthes
Public Relations Manager
European Academy for Taxes, Economics & Law
Hausvogteiplatz 13
10117 Berlin
Germany
Tel: +49.30.80.20.80.256
Fax.:+49.30.80.20.80.259
E-Mail: stephanie.matthes@euroacad.eu
www.euroacad.eu

This release was published on openPR.