A Case for OLAF: The Place and Role of the Anti-fraud Office in the European Union Context

This article examines the place and role of the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF) in the context of the European Union (EU). OLAF is tasked with investigating instances of fraud that harm the financial interest of the EU. The author examines key aspects of OLAF's operation and cooperation with other bodies, such as national authorities and EU institutions, in order to identify the deficiencies inherent in OLAF's operational framework. As it is argued, many of the current problems faced by OLAF in the discharge of its functions are due to a lack of reflection as to its precise task and purpose from its early stages of existence and the inadequate coordination between OLAF and other actors in the process of combating fraud. The article concludes by making specific policy suggestions that may optimize OLAF's operation in the future.