Protecting EU funds
The EU budget runs into hundreds of billions and is distributed across the EU and beyond. One of OLAF’s main roles is protecting that funding making sure it is spent correctly and is fully accounted for.
The OLAF annual report 2023 provides an overview of our investigative results and related OLAF activities regarding fraud and corruption and discusses various fraudulent schemes that include collusion, manipulation of procurement procedures, conflicts of interest, inflated invoices, evasion of customs duties, smuggling and counterfeiting.
265
investigations concluded
309
financial, judicial, disciplinary and administrative recommendations issued to competent authorities at EU and national levels
€1,04
billion recommended for recovery
190
investigations opened
1178
selections made
€209,4
million prevented from being lost
1 of 3
Main areas of investigations
Protecting EU revenue
OLAF protects EU revenues by tackling smuggling and counterfeiting and customs undervaluation, which reduces the amount of customs duty paid, undermines the EU single market, harms genuine EU producers, and can threaten the safety of EU citizens.
Investigation in EU institutions
OLAF has a unique mandate to carry out internal investigations into the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies for the purpose of fighting fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the EU.
Financial Impact of OLAF
The sum recommended by OLAF for recovery each year depends on the scope and scale of the investigations concluded in that particular year. The amounts recommended for recovery are therefore not an indication of the overall level of fraud in Europe, instead they relate to specific investigations finalised by OLAF in that year.
Tobacco smuggling
Helping prevent tobacco and other forms of smuggling has been a core OLAF activity for many years. 2022 was no different OLAF helped prevent the illicit trade in hundreds of millions of illegal cigarettes, hundreds of litres of illicit alcohol and tonnes of harmful f gasses.
Support of Member States' anti-fraud actions
The EU helps Member States to fight fraud by:
- Protecting the EU’s financial interests through financial support, in particular technical support, operational support for investigations, specialised training and research activities.
- Organising mutual administrative assistance and cooperation in customs and agricultural matters.
- Operating the Irregularity Management System so Member States can report irregularities.
