EP akkoord met hervormingen OLAF (en)

Parliament gave its go-ahead to the reform of the rules governing the operation of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) on Wednesday. The House supported the compromise reached with Council on the content of the new OLAF regulation.

The reform of the regulation, agreed in a compromise with Council in December 2012, aims to increase the efficiency of OLAF's investigations, to enhance cooperation between the anti-fraud watchdog and member state authorities and to render OLAF more accountable.

OLAF was recently heavily criticised in Parliament's budgetary control committee following the publication of the annual report of the OLAF Supervisory Committee, which raised serious concerns over the propriety of investigations, most notably in the case that led to the resignation of the former health commissioner, John Dalli i.

However, Parliament decided on Wednesday not to amend the agreed text to give more control to the supervisory body over closed OLAF investigations.

What is next?

The draft regulation has to be officially confirmed by the Council before taking effect.

Procedure: Co-decision (Ordinary Legislative Procedure), 2nd reading