Investigating within the EU institutions

Investigations can take place into potential instances of fraud, corruption and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Whilst these investigations make up a small part of OLAF's overall caseload, they are important in protecting EU taxpayers’ money and defending the reputations of the EU from a perceived lack of institutional integrity.

Cases investigated by OLAF tend to follow roughly the same patterns. These can include false declarations of expenses, undeclared external activities and harassment.

Last year OLAF's internal investigations included the abuse of diplomatic privilege by staff in an EU delegation, inappropriate behaviour by senior staff members in an EU agency and an incredible case of how an individual created a web of corruption, lining his pockets in the process.