18 October 2022
The 33rd Annual Report on the protection of the European Union's financial interests and the fight against fraud – Year 2021 (PIF Report) is published on the website of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
The Report outlines recent measures undertaken to
- counter fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union
- examine the level and development of cooperation between the institutional actors involved in this specific domain
- analyse major risks of fraud against the EU budget identified on the basis of reported irregularities on both the revenue and the expenditure sides of the budget.
In 2021, the number of frauds and irregularities reported by competent EU and national authorities remained stable compared to 2020, while the related amounts increased. In particular, at EU level, overall 11,218 irregularities were reported, amounting to approximately EUR 3.24 billion. For Italy, 20 frauds (almost EUR 4 million) and 378 non-fraudulent irregularities (over EUR 34.750 million) were reported.
The document pays major attention to: the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF); the implementation of the resulting national recovery and resilience plans; the changed overall anti-fraud framework in relation to EU expenditure and the use of IT tools for risk analysis; as well as the significantly increased role of national authorities in ensuring the protection of the EU's financial interests.
Within the PIF Report, Italy is mentioned several times, not only for its usual profitable collaboration with EU
The 33rd Annual Report on the protection of the European Union's financial interests and the fight against fraud – Year 2021 (PIF Report) is published on the website of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
The Report outlines recent measures undertaken to
- counter fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union
- examine the level and development of cooperation between the institutional actors involved in this specific domain
- analyse major risks of fraud against the EU budget identified on the basis of reported irregularities on both the revenue and the expenditure sides of the budget.
In 2021, the number of frauds and irregularities reported by competent EU and national authorities remained stable compared to 2020, while the related amounts increased. In particular, at EU level, overall 11,218 irregularities were reported, amounting to approximately EUR 3.24 billion. For Italy, 20 frauds (almost EUR 4 million) and 378 non-fraudulent irregularities (over EUR 34.750 million) were reported.
The document pays major attention to: the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF); the implementation of the resulting national recovery and resilience plans; the changed overall anti-fraud framework in relation to EU expenditure and the use of IT tools for risk analysis; as well as the significantly increased role of national authorities in ensuring the protection of the EU's financial interests.
Within the PIF Report, Italy is mentioned several times, not only for its usual profitable collaboration with EU
The 33rd Annual Report on the protection of the European Union's financial interests and the fight against fraud – Year 2021 (PIF Report) is published on the website of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
The Report outlines recent measures undertaken to
- counter fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union
- examine the level and development of cooperation between the institutional actors involved in this specific domain
- analyse major risks of fraud against the EU budget identified on the basis of reported irregularities on both the revenue and the expenditure sides of the budget.
In 2021, the number of frauds and irregularities reported by competent EU and national authorities remained stable compared to 2020, while the related amounts increased. In particular, at EU level, overall 11,218 irregularities were reported, amounting to approximately EUR 3.24 billion. For Italy, 20 frauds (almost EUR 4 million) and 378 non-fraudulent irregularities (over EUR 34.750 million) were reported.
The document pays major attention to: the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF); the implementation of the resulting national recovery and resilience plans; the changed overall anti-fraud framework in relation to EU expenditure and the use of IT tools for risk analysis; as well as the significantly increased role of national authorities in ensuring the protection of the EU's financial interests.
Within the PIF Report, Italy is mentioned several times, not only for its usual profitable collaboration with EU institutions, but also for the efficient and effective support provided in international cooperation development activities, and notably with reference to the performance of joint customs operations.
These include the Operation POSTBOX III, developed by Italian Customs Authorities and Guardia di Finanza, with the support of OLAF, Europol’s collaboration and the participation of 20 Member States, to counter the illicit trafficking of goods perpetrated through the Internet and the dark web, bringing to light not only criminal phenomena related to smuggling and under-invoicing, but also counterfeiting, trafficking in illegally traded drugs and medicines, and goods related to the pandemic emergency.