Protection of the Communities’ financial interests: the fight against fraud. For an overall strategic approach

The protection of financial interests is the business of everyone, the institutions and their members on a political level, the European public service as well as national civil services and their officials in the performance of their daily missions. It is a concern which takes shape from the stage of drawing up Community policies and is observed at all stages of the process of their implementation, in particular at the level of their budgetary or financial consequences.

To be in line with the conclusions of the Helsinki European Council of 10 and 11 December 1999, the orientations of this communication are complementary to the measures already taken to ensure good, sound and rigorous financial management of the different policies of the European Union and to prevent the risks of irregularities or misappropriation of funds.