Improve anti-fraud cooperation to protect taxpayers’ money say CONT MEPs

Closer cooperation between EU bodies fighting fraud

Single entry point for fraud allegations, with protection for whistleblowers

Better tracking and follow-up to recover lost EU funds

Budgetary control MEPs demand closer cooperation between EU anti-fraud bodies, better whistleblower protection and stronger recovery of lost funds, in a report endorsed on Tuesday.

The report, adopted by the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) by 25 votes in favour, none against and four abstentions, sets out priorities for reforming the EU’s anti-fraud framework ahead of the next long-term budget. MEPs want faster information-sharing and clearer responsibilities, while safeguarding the independence of investigators and prosecutors.

Closer cooperation between EPPO and OLAF

MEPs want clearer rules on cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which investigates and prosecutes crimes affecting the EU budget, and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which conducts administrative investigations.

They propose a graduated, time-limited approach to suspending OLAF’s investigative measures when needed to protect EPPO proceedings. The need for suspension should be reviewed regularly, allowing complementary OLAF measures to resume when they would no longer jeopardise criminal investigations or the rights of those concerned.

Precautionary measures to protect the budget, including suspending payments and recovering undue payments, should remain possible where legally permitted and without undermining criminal proceedings.

Single entry point and protection for whistleblowers

The MEPs call for a single, secure digital channel to report suspected fraud, ensuring information reaches the competent bodies promptly. Where appropriate, EPPO and OLAF should receive information simultaneously and assess it independently, within their respective mandates.

People reporting suspected fraud should be protected against retaliation as of their first submission, regardless of whether their information leads to an investigation, referral or dismissal. The MEPs also demand safeguards for confidentiality and action against failures to implement EU whistleblower protection rules correctly.

Turning investigations into recovery

CONT MEPs want stronger central monitoring of amounts identified and recovered following OLAF recommendations and national court judgments resulting from EPPO cases. They propose locating this monitoring and reporting function within OLAF, whose name should be changed to reflect its updated mandate.

Regular reports should show how much money has been recovered or written off, how long recovery takes and why efforts succeed or fail. MEPs also want clearer rules to ensure criminal proceedings do not unduly delay administrative measures to protect the EU budget.

Quotes

Co-rapporteur Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP, CZ) said: “Protecting the EU budget requires detecting fraud at an early stage. This is only possible through effective cooperation, timely information-sharing and proper follow-up of EU fund recoveries. Our report proposes a common entry point for fraud allegations and a graduated, time-limited approach to suspending OLAF’s investigative measures, without undermining ongoing investigations by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). Our aim is to strengthen coordination between the anti-fraud bodies while respecting their respective mandates and independence, helping safeguard every euro of taxpayers’ money.”

Co-rapporteur Dick Erixon (ECR, SE) said: “Taxpayers money must be better protected. Gaps between anti-fraud bodies should be closed and faster information-sharing and joint case intake should be enabled. Restrictions on OLAF should be removed enabling earlier action to protect funds. Recovery of defrauded money should be the priority. Results must be measured more carefully, with a fraud-gap estimate, common indicators and annual accountability.”

Next steps

Once adopted in the plenary, the report will set out Parliament’s expectations from the Commission’s forthcoming communication on anti-fraud architecture (AFA), expected before the end of 2026. In 2025, the Commission launched a reflection that will feed into the review.