Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice
Press release 22/2025
PDF version
Today the European Commission adopted its 2024 Annual Report on the protection of the EU’s financial interests (‘PIF’ report). The report shows the progress made by the anti-fraud bodies at EU and national level in strengthening their coordination, promoting the digitalisation of the fight against fraud, and reporting detected cases of fraud and irregularities to the Commission. As the Commission focuses on further strengthening the EU anti-fraud architecture and fostering the digitalisation of the fight against fraud, it recommends Member States to pursue a similar path at national level.
The 2024 PIF report takes stock of the various initiatives adopted at EU and national level to strengthen the EU anti-fraud governance and the fight against fraud affecting the EU’s financial interests through digital tools and innovative technologies. This process takes a renewed momentum with the structured reflection process for the review of the EU Anti-Fraud Architecture launched by the Commission on 16 July 2025.
Piotr Serafin, Commissioner for Budget, Anti-fraud and Public Administration, said: “The Commission has presented an ambitious new long-term budget that will equip Europe to become an independent, prosperous, secure, and thriving society and economy over the coming decade. To protect these resources from fraud, we need an EU anti-fraud architecture that can better address the challenges ahead, bridge existing gaps, and streamline cooperation between its various actors, at both EU and national level.”
The report offers an overview of the development of anti-fraud legislation and policies across the EU. In 2024, for example, addressing conflicts of interest emerged as a common theme across several Member States.
According to the report, while the number of irregularities – 13 589 in total – reported by the competent EU and national authorities slightly decreased in 2024 compared to 2023, the number of reported cases of fraud increased to 1 364, 26% more than in 2023. This increase may be the result of the reiterated recommendations addressed by the Commission to the Member States in the past years to better report detected fraud. The Commission will continue monitoring this trend in the coming years also to assess whether Member States follow-up effectively on these detected cases, another frequently reiterated Commissions recommendation.
To ensure further improvement of reporting and follow-up of cases of suspected fraud and irregularities, the Commission recommends that Member States establish appropriate communication channels between the actors involved. In the Commission’s view, the adoption of national anti-fraud strategies remains a pillar for anti-fraud governance at the national level. Every Member State shall adopt such a strategy, ideally integrating the development of IT tools and the use of innovative technologies at its core to fight fraud more effectively.
The 36th Annual Report on the protection of the EU’s financial interests, published today, is available on OLAF’s website.
Background
The EU and Member States share responsibility for protecting the EU’s financial interests and fighting fraud. Member State authorities manage more than 85 percent of EU expenditure and collect the EU’s traditional own resources. The Commission oversees both areas, sets standards, and verifies compliance.
Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Art 325(5)), the Commission is required to produce an Annual Report on the Protection of the EU’s Financial Interests (known as the PIF Report), detailing the measures taken at European and national level to counter fraud affecting the EU budget. The report is based on information reported by the Member States, including data on detected irregularities and fraud. The analysis of this information allows assessing which areas are most at risk, thereby allowing for better targeted actions at both EU and national levels. The report is accompanied by six working documents, providing additional and detailed information on several topics addressed in the report itself.
OLAF mission, mandate and competences:
OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.
OLAF fulfils its mission by:
• carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe;
• contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions;
• developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.
In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning:
• all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
• some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
• suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.
Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.
For further details:
Pierluigi CATERINO
Spokesperson
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335
Email: olaf-media ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
euantifraud.bsky.social
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