Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the protection of the financial interests of the European Union by criminal law and by administrative investigations – An integrated policy to safeguard taxpayers’ money

The protection of the EU financial interests is an important element of the Commission's political agenda, in order to consolidate and to increase public trust and give assurance that taxpayers' money is being used correctly. The Lisbon Treaty has considerably reinforced available tools to act in this regard (Articles 85, 86 and 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - TFEU). Articles 310(6) and 325 TFEU oblige both the EU and its Member States to counter all forms of illegal activity affecting the EU financial interests. The EU has in place a comprehensive set of tools to prevent and detect misuse of the EU budget.

As part of an integrated approach which will include new Commission anti-fraud and anti-corruption strategies, this Communication responds to the challenge by setting out the line which will guide the Commission in the protection of EU public money against all forms of criminal conduct, including fraud. Protecting EU funds by effective and equivalent legal action throughout the Union has to become a priority for the national authorities.

In addition to general efforts to set specific common minimum rules on criminal law, an integrated policy to protect EU financial interests by criminal law and by administrative investigations must be consistent, credible and effective. Only then will it allow those responsible for crimes, including organised crime, committed to be prosecuted and brought to court and have a deterrent effect on potential perpetrators. The policy must also take into account that the protection of taxpayers' money often involves cross-border cases touching multiple jurisdictions requiring the active cooperation of different administrative and law enforcement authorities.

EUR-Lex: COM(2011)293: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2011:293:FIN

European Commission: SEC(2011)621: Accompanying document http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SEC:2011:0621:FIN:EN:PDF

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