Luxembourg lukewarm in pursuit of EU fraud, data hints

Press/Media: Expert comment

Description

Branislav Hock is interviewed and cited on Luxembourg making just two referrals, in 10 years, of suspected EU fraud to the bloc's authorities.

Period19 Jan 2022

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleLuxembourg lukewarm in pursuit of EU fraud, data hints
    Media name/outletLuxembourg Times
    Country/TerritoryLuxembourg
    Date19/01/22
    DescriptionLuxembourg passed on just two cases of suspected EU fraud to the bloc's authorities over the past decade, suggesting there is little fraud against the EU budget in the country - or no enthusiasm to pursue it. The Grand Duchy did not refer any irregularities with EU funding to the bloc's anti-fraud office OLAF in 2020, the latest available data from the European Commission shows. And over the past decade, Luxembourg has only flagged suspected fraud on two occasions - once in 2013 and again in 2017 - according to OLAF’s annual reports. […]

    A country making just two referrals in 10 years was "a surprise", said Branislav Hock, a senior lecturer in economic crime at the University of Portsmouth in the UK. "It can mean that (a) there is no fraud in Luxembourg or (b) that Luxembourg is not reporting fraud cases," he said. […]

    The creation of EPPO was an admission by the EU that the OLAF-only model was not succeeding in tackling fraud against the bloc’s budget, the University of Portsmouth's Hock said. Five EU countries do not participate in EPPO, a sign tensions over EU fraud remain in place, Lemasson added.
    Producer/AuthorJohn Monaghan
    URLhttps://www.luxtimes.lu/en/european-union/luxembourg-lukewarm-in-pursuit-of-eu-fraud-data-suggests-619e4687de135b9236ff462a
    PersonsBranislav Hock