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  • Press release
  • 25 November 2024
  • European Anti-Fraud Office
  • 3 min read

OLAF participates in the 24th Annual Conference of International Investigators in Manila

©EU

Press release No 23/2024
PDF version  

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) participated in the 24th Conference of International Investigators (‘CII’) on 13-15 November 2024, hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, Philippines. The event brought together investigative professionals from several international organisations to address the newest digital trends and challenges in the fight against fraud and corruption. 

Established in 1999, the CII has grown into a consciously maintained network of professionals who regularly convene to share practices and exchange insights. This year’s conference underscored the importance of cooperation, ethics, and operational excellence in investigations, with several representatives from OLAF prominently contributing to these discussions. 

Under the theme “Investigating for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, OLAF’s experts participated as panelists in several workshops, which reflected the network’s will to cooperate and its focus on leveraging technological advancements for better investigations. Workshops tackled the integration of AI, digital forensics, and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), exploring how these tools can enhance efficiency while upholding strict ethical standards. 

Discussions also addressed the complexities of internal investigations and whistleblower protection. 

The debate around integrity in climate finance projects brought up a new perspective to the fight against financial fraud, especially taking into account the evolving and increasingly digital investigative landscape. The conference also addressed OLAF’s central role in setting up the CII 25 years ago, by a Memorial Lecture in the honor of OLAF’s former Director-General Franz-Hermann Brüner. 

Background

The Conference of International Investigators was established to assist investigators and their offices in the professional conduct of their work and to support their important role in developing, maintaining and improving the integrity of their organisations. 

Its annual conferences enable and enhance cooperation and collegiality among investigative offices of participating organisations, facilitate the exchange of information, provide advanced hands-on training, and enable its participants to hear from industry specialists and receive the latest developments in the field. OLAF is an active member of the CII. In addition to OLAF, around 40 investigative services of international organisations participate in the works of the CII.

OLAF mission, mandate and competences:
OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.    

OLAF fulfils its mission by:
•    carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe;
•    contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions;
•    developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.

In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning:
•    all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
•    some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
•    suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.

Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.

For further details:

Pierluigi CATERINO
Spokesperson
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335  
Email: olaf-mediaatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
X: @EUAntiFraud
LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

Theresa ZAHRA
Deputy Spokesperson
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
Phone: +32 (0)2 29-57270   
Email: olaf-mediaatec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
X: @EUAntiFraud
LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)


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Details

Publication date
25 November 2024
Author
European Anti-Fraud Office
News type
  • OLAF press release