News AFCOS
The Montenegrin delegation participated in Study Visit to Portugal as part of Twinning Light Project funded by the European Union ''Further enhancing the functioning of Montenegrin AFCOS system with the aim of efficient protection of EU financial interests’’
As part of Activity 3.2.1 of the Twinning Light Project, a five-day study visit to Portugal was successfully hosted by Portuguese Inspeção-Geral de Finanças (IGF) for five Montenegrin representatives, taking place in Lisbon from 31 March to 4 April 2025.
The primary aim of the study visit was primarely to strengthen cooperation and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and good practices among relevant authorities, but also to enhance the capacities of officials from Montenegrin AFCOS office and their partners in the field of protection of EU financial interests.
During the study visit, the Montenegrin delegation visited several institutions, whose representatives gave a detailed overview of Portuguese system for preventing and combating irregularities and fraud related to the use of EU funds.
Namely, representatives from Inspeção-Geral de Finanças (IGF), an independent Portuguese government body responsible for ensuring strategic control over public financial administration, shared their overall experience in regards establishing and enhancing the system for protection of EU financial interests, but also thoroughly presented many specific topics such as The National Anti-Fraud Strategy (NAFS), Irregularity Management System (IMS) and emphasized the importance of ongoing vigilance and transparent processes to protect EU funds from fraud and misuse. To ensure this, key initiatives should include strengthening anti-fraud policies, enhancing training programs, ensuring timely cooperation and promoting an anti-fraud culture across all involved stakeholders.
The Montenegrin delegation also had an opportunity to visit the Portuguese Institute for Financing Agriculture and Fisheries (IFAP) whose representatives presented comprehensive anti-fraud measures and tools that use an advance anti-fraud technologies (such as ARACHNE), including a multi-layered approach to prevention and detection of fraud.
Furthermore, presentations were also given by the representatives of Portuguese Cohesion and Development Agency (AD&C), a public institution under the supervision of the Deputy Minister for Territorial Cohesion, which plays a central role in regional development and cohesion policy in Portugal. The Montenegrin delegation got an insight into comprehensive anti-fraud strategy of AD&C, aligned with national and European guidelines to prevent fraud in the use of EU funds.
The study visit met its expectations due to the great organization and hospitality, but also by offering practical examples of best practice cases and valuable insights into functioning of the Portuguese anti-fraud system.
Key topics such as inter-institutional collaboration, fraud prevention techniques, the use of IT tools, and the IMS were particularly beneficial for the Montenegrin delegation in terms of efficient implementation of the lessons learned. This study visit significantly contributed to strengthening the expertise and capacities of the Montenegrin delegation in the field of protection of EU financial interests and gave strong support to all the further developments of Montenegrin AFCOS system in line with the set EU standards.
Europe Day celebrations at Cvjetni Square
The celebration on Zagreb's Flower Square on 7 May marked the Day of Europe (9 May). The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration in cooperation with the Delegation of European Union to the Republic of Croatia and the state administration bodies involved in the process of Croatia's accession to European Union.
The representatives of the IDCIF and DLAF have also participated in that event by promoting AFCOS system in Republic of Croatia and raising public awareness regarding the protection of financial interest of EU. For this event IDCIF in cooperation DLAF have prepared promotional materials: brochures, leaflets and bookmarks with the information how citizens can report suspicion on irregularities and fraud in relation with usage of EU assistance funds.
Commission proposes reform of European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
Today, the European Commission adopted a proposal to reform the EU's Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF. The aim is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of OLAF, while safeguarding its investigative independence. Since it was set up in 1999, OLAF has carried out around 4500 investigations and has contributed greatly to protecting the EU budget against fraudulent activity. Improvements are nonetheless needed to assist OLAF in performing to its full potential. The Commission is addressing certain key issues by proposing to strengthen OLAF's capacity to tackle fraud with maximum results. Included in today's proposal are measures to ensure that OLAF's investigations are conducted and followed-up more efficiently, to protect the rights of persons under investigation and to reinforce the cooperation between OLAF and its strategic partners in the fight against fraud. The proposal will now be forwarded to the European Parliament and Council for agreement under the co-decision procedure.
Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta, responsible for Anti-Fraud, said: "OLAF is a cornerstone in the protection of the EU budget and the fight against fraud. Through this reform procedure, we intend to make it even stronger, more efficient and more capable, to the benefit of each and every European citizen."
Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU's Justice Commissioner, said "Stronger procedural rules and safeguards are essential to develop fairer and more effective investigations, in the interest of protecting European taxpayers' money."
Reinforcing accountability
An important aspect of today's proposal lies in the strengthening of the procedural guarantees (i.e. respect of fundamental rights) for any person under investigation by OLAF. All persons must be made aware of their rights when they are under investigation. These include the right for the person to have a summary of the issue under investigation and to make their views known before conclusions are drawn up, the right to be assisted by a person of his/her choice and the right to use the EU official language of their choice. There will also be a process of review in place for when procedural rights may have been violated. The Supervisory Committee will continue to monitor OLAF's activities, ensuring that its investigations are carried out in full independence and in line with the rules and procedures laid down.
Enhancing efficiency
One of the problems in fighting fraud at EU-level at the moment is the disappointing level of judicial follow-up by some Member States on OLAF investigations. The Commission seeks to redress this problem by intensifying cooperation between OLAF and Member State authorities and providing for greater information exchange on cases and the related prosecutions. Each Member State is asked to designate a contact point, which would facilitate the cooperation of national authorities with OLAF. In addition, Member States should report, upon request, on the measures they have taken in response to OLAF's case reports.
To make OLAF more efficient in its own work, the Commission has proposed a that if an investigation is not completed within 12 months, the Office should inform the Supervisory Committee of why it needs an extension of this deadline .
OLAF's Director General will continue to be ultimately responsible for deciding which investigations OLAF carries out. However, the Commission proposes that an internal body should be established within OLAF, to help with these decisions. In order to ensure optimal use of OLAF's resources, the proposal clarifies the "de minimis" rule for deciding on investigations. This means that OLAF should be guided by the financial impact of the suspected fraud when setting its operational priorities. Where it is more efficient, a case should be investigated at the level of the institution, agency, or body concerned, rather than by OLAF.
Improving cooperation
The Commission underlines the need to maintain full independence for OLAF in its investigations. At the same time, there needs to be close cooperation and information exchange between the Anti-Fraud Office and the EU institutions, in order to ensure the best possible protection of the EU's financial interests. A flexible procedure for the exchange of views between OLAF and the European Commission, Parliament and Council is laid down. The aim is to allow the institutions to discuss OLAF's strategic priorities, and give their opinions on the effectiveness of the work being carried out by the Office. This will help to ensure that there is an overview of how OLAF is functioning and improved governance of the Office.
Given the high level of EU resources dedicated to external relations and international aid, OLAF's role in protecting the EU budget extends beyond the EU's borders. Cooperation between OLAF and international organisations and third country authorities is crucial for successful operations outside the EU. Therefore, the Commission proposes that OLAF should be mandated to conclude administrative arrangements with competent services in third countries, in coordination with the European External Action Service and the relevant Commission services.
Cooperation with the European Police Office (Europol) and the EU's judicial cooperation unit (Eurojust) is equally important and should be reinforced. Therefore, the Commission also proposes giving OLAF the mandate to conclude administrative arrangements with these two organisations.
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