Member states may answer to OLAF over inquiry follow-ups

European Union (EU) member states could be required to keep EU anti-fraud office OLAF informed about progress their law enforcement agencies make in response to its reports highlighting financial crimes. This proposal has been written by the European Parliament into OLAF’s founding EU regulation – currently under review. MEPs also want the independence of OLAF’s director general clarified, tabling a clause which states that the DG “shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government or any institution, body, office or agency in the performance of his duties with regard to [fraud inquiries].” The parliament further wants OLAF to have its own effective human resources team,“to ensure that staff can execute the mission of OLAF in full independence”. And it wants OLAF to respect the rights of journalists to protect sources when investigating EU fraud, following the ‘Tillack affair’ when a German writer’s premises were raided by police.