Fight against fraud and protection of the Community's financial interests. Working programme 1997-1998, 1996 Report

In adopting the report by Mr Herbert BÖSCH (PSE, A), the European Parliament calls for measures to ensure that the UCLAF is given full independence for the coordination of measures to combat fraud by granting it special status in order to prevent pressure from being brought to bear granting greater budgetary independence and reviewing the chain of accountability in cases of alleged internal corruption and fraud. It takes the view that losses to the Union budget from fraud remain unacceptably high and that the EU must have at its disposal investigative services able to deal with fraud on a supranational basis within the framework of the Community institutions. He calls for the creation of an independent European judicial authority able to direct investigations and bring prosecutions as appropriate. Pending the creation of such an authority, Parliament calls on the Commission and other Community institutions to refer all cases of suspected fraud to the competent national judicial authorities. It continues to believe that the genuine single criminal law space is a pre-requisite for the adequate defence of the financial interests of the Community and for an effective fight against international crime. It calls on the Member States to ratify and fully transpose without delay the Convention on the protection of the financial interests of the Community.�