OLAF ACQUIRES ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY AUTONOMY.

The Director-General of the EU's anti-fraud office, OLAF, Franz-Hermann Br?ner, presented the Office's Annual Report on October 18 for the period 1 June 2000 to 31 May 2001. Work in the area of investigations and other operational activities has been mainly concentrated on existing cases, on the introduction of greater transparency in the methods of operational data processing and on setting up revised investigation procedures. At the end of the reference period the Office has been equipped with a procedural handbook which takes into account the legal constraints applicable as well as the protection of the fundamental rights and provides investigators and management with an efficient tool to organise their work. Internal investigations have been the first to benefit from this new approach. 36 investigations have been opened during the reference period 2000-2001. Nine investigations have given rise to a report, and eight investigation reports have led to the transmission of the file to national legal authorities. The same standards have been applied to external investigations not yet closed and to new investigations opened by decision of the Director General. As of 31 May 2001 the Office was investigating 441 cases.During the period in question, the Office made good progress in the reorganisation of its resources, in particular with regard to its personnel. Despite a complex recruitment procedure and a redeployment of staff, some of whom were reassigned to other services of the Commission, the effective strength of the Office grew by 70%, without any break in the continuity of service. At this time the Office comprises 199 agents. An initial reorganisation in September 2000 was intended to tackle a too rigid framework in the organisation of investigations and to put in place a flexible and transparent operational structure...