Romania: In 2023, DLAF achieved the most important post-accession document on the protection of the financial interests of the EU in Romania

In 2023, the Fight against Fraud Department – DLAF achieved the most important post-accession document on the protection of the financial interests of the European Union in Romania, the National Anti-Fraud Strategy for the Protection of the Financial Interests of the European Union in Romania, 2023-2027. Being focused on the idea of prevention, the Strategy aims to coordinate fraud prevention efforts undertaken by all national partners for a high and healthy absorption of the European funds, including those allocated to Romania, through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as well as for a full budgetary contribution of Romania to the EU budget.

During the period January – December 2023, the Fight against Fraud Department – DLAF completed a number of 173 control actions. Of these, 5 control actions had as source the notification of the European Prosecutor’s Office and another two of these actions had as source the European Anti-fraud Office – OLAF.

The remaining control actions opened by DLAF in 2023 had as a source the following institutions:

• Managing authorities: 75
• National Anticorruption Directorate: 47
• Natural and legal persons: 32
• Audit Authority attached to Court of Accounts: 4
• Ex-officio: 3
• Other public institutions: 5 (ANI: 1, DGIEF SIFE: 1, ADS:1, Iași Prefecture:2)

Out of the total control actions completed in 2023, in 49 cases there were indications of fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Union, being notified to the criminal investigation bodies (National Anticorruption Directorate / European Public Prosecutor's Office / other criminal prosecution structures).

DLAF’s judicial follow-up activity in 2023 was realized through the transmission of 126 Reports, 49 Fact Finding Minutes (as a result of finding fraud against EU financial interests), 12 Crime Reports and 27 Briefing Letters to the judicial bodies (National Anticorruption Directorate / European Prosecutor's Office / other competent authorities), as follows:

• 100 Reports, 33 Fact Finding Minutes and 18 Briefing Letters to National Anticorruption Directorate/ other competent authorities;
• 26 Reports, 16 Fact Finding Minutes and 12 Crime Reports, 9 Briefing Letters to the European Prosecutor’s Office.

DLAF received 46 requests for technical assistance from European Anti-Fraud Office – OLAF.   

In order to fulfil the general objective of protecting the financial interests of the European Union, the Fight Against Fraud Department - DLAF took actions to ensure cooperation with the national institutions involved in the coordination, management and control of the European funds. Also, DLAF continues to guarantee compliance with Romania's obligations under art. 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The Fight Against Fraud Department – DLAF, a unique institution at national level, with exclusive attributions and competences in the field of the protection of the EU’s financial interests in Romania and the fight against fraud with European funds, obtained in 2023, the certification of the quality management system. The certificate issued by Romanian Society for Quality Assurance (SRAC) certifies that the activity carried out by DLAF meets ISO 9001:2015 standards, on all structural levels (anti-fraud operative, anti-fraud prevention, support, monitoring, measurement, analysis and improvement).

More details on the activity carried out in 2023 can be found in the Annual Activity Report, published on DLAF`s website.

Background:

The Fight Against Fraud Department - DLAF is the national contact institution with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) within the European Commission and Anti-Fraud Co-ordination Service (AFCOS) in Romania. In the exercise of its powers, the Fight Against Fraud Department –DLAF performs or coordinates control actions, in order to identify irregularities, fraud and other illicit activities, in connection with the management, obtaining and use of European funds and related co-financing, as well as any other funds falling within the financial interests of the European Union.