- European Commission
- OLAF
- Investigations
- Partners
- EU expenditure
- EU revenue
- EU staff
- Forensics
- Investigation support
- Partners
- Success stories
- Fraud in figures
- Report fraud
- Structural funds
- Funding under the common agricultural policy
- SAPARD – accession programme for agriculture & rural development
- IPARD – agricultural & rural development assistance to countries preparing to join the EU
- Regulation 1073/99 on OLAF investigations
- Regulation 2185 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections
Partners
In its role of coordinating the fight against fraud at EU level, OLAF cooperates closely with its counterparts, including police, customs and judicial bodies, both within the EU and beyond its borders. The aim being to ensure a rapid exchange of information and swift follow-up actions.
Anti-fraud coordination service (AFCOS)
What is an AFCOS?
An AFCOS (anti-fraud coordination service) is an operationally independent national authority responsible for protecting the EU's financial interests from fraud. It coordinates the sharing of information between the national fraud-prevention authorities and OLAF.
All countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 were required to set up an AFCOS before becoming members. All countries that are official candidates for EU membershipAll available translations. must also set one up – and committed to doing so in their respective national programmes for adopting EU lawAll available translations..
What do AFCOS do?
An AFCOS is a national fraud-prevention contact point within each new EU country or membership candidate. Its main activities are:
- coordinating legislative, administrative and operational obligations and activities to protect EU finances
- liaising between national authorities and OLAF
- notifying the Commission of fraud and irregularities
In detail
- leading the creation/implementation of national strategies to protect EU’s financial interests (and promoting the related administrative/legislative changes)
- identifying possible weaknesses in national systems for managing EU funds, including monies disbursed prior to membership (pre-accession funds)
- dissemination of information and communication
- sufficient human resources capacity, including training fraud-prevention staff in the new EU countries
- helping cooperation between national administrations, prosecution authorities and OLAF
- sharing information on irregularities and suspected fraud cases with national administrations and OLAF
- ensuring the fulfilment of all the obligations under Regulation 2185/1996 on on-the-spot checks
Legal basis
Article 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (ex Art. 280 of the EC Treaty)
