In 2024, the Fight against Fraud Department – DLAF, through its entire activity, reconfirmed its position as national anti-fraud coordinator and trusted partner of the European institutions involved in the fight against fraud, corruption and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the European Union.
In order to fulfil its obligations, DLAF has implemented the measures undertaken in the most important post-accession document on the protection of the European Union’s financial interests in Romania, the National Anti-Fraud Strategy for the protection of the European Union’s financial interests in Romania, 2023-2027. These aimed at the operationalisation and coordination of 10 networks/working groups, with a total number around 300 representatives of partner institutions. Within these networks, actions and documents have been created with the objectives of preventing, detecting, investigating fraud and recovering damages resulting from fraud affecting the EU budget.
In 2024, the Fight against Fraud Department – DLAF continued to protect the money allocated from the European Community Fund in Romania by carrying out specific investigations in 269 control actions, of which 142 were completed. Of the 142 control actions, in 58 of cases were found indications of fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Union and in other 75 of these the facts did not confirm. In 9 cases, no additional checks were required and these were closed because, during the DLAF checks, the criminal investigation body ordered the respective criminal case (EPPO: 3 cases, DNA: 6 cases).
For the 142 control actions completed, the sources of the referral were as follows:
- Managing authorities: 51
- Natural and legal persons: 30
- National Anti-Corruption Directorate: 29
- EPPO: 18
- Audit Authority within the Romanian Court of Accounts: 4
- European Anti-Fraud Office: 2
- Public institutions: 8 (ANI: 1, ONPCSB 1, CCPM: 2, ANSVSA: 4)
The administrative follow-up of DLAF’s activity resulted in 90 Reports and 132 briefing papers being sent to the European funds management authorities or to other national authorities and OLAF.
The judicial recovery of DLAF’s activity resulted in the submission to the judicial bodies (National Anti-Corruption Directorate / European Public Prosecutor’s Office / other prosecutor’s offices) of 122 Reports, 58 fact finding minutes (following the finding of the indications of fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Union), 24 Crime Reports and 6 briefing papers.
In 2024, DLAF received 42 requests for technical assistance from the European Anti-Fraud Office – OLAF.
As the National Anti-Fraud Coordination Service (AFCOS) in Romania and as a contact institutionof the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) within the European Commission, the Fight against Fraud Department – DLAF ensured, supported and coordinated the fulfilment of Romania’s obligations regarding the protection of the financial interests of the European Union, in accordance with the provisions of Article 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. DLAF thus continued to offer, at both national and international level, training sessions or exchange of information on cases, legislation and collaboration in the field of PIF and to participate in working groups (in the country and in Europe) in its domain of reference.
The DLAF Activity Report 2024 can be found at: https://antifrauda.gov.ro/w/rapoarte-de-activitate/
