Protection of the EC financial interests: on-the-spot checks and inspections

In adopting the report by Mrs THEATO, the European Parliament strengthened the proposal for a regulation concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections by the Commission for the detection of fraud and irregularities detrimental to the financial interests of the European Communities. In its amendments Parliament: - specified that on-the-spot checks and inspections may concern "any other logical operations which might be necessary to carry out the investigation in a proper way"; - added the concept of penalties: sectoral rules may provide for the application of the penalties referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC/EURATOM) No 2988/95 to persons who resist an inspection or check; - stated that the European Information System and Europol should be able to provide information on international fraud networks, which should be available to the Commission. �