OLAF and the EU’s recovery: protecting citizens’ money

The EU is investing unprecedented amounts into our collective recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and in building future resilience. In his address to the IIEA, Mr Itälä outlines how creative fraudsters can be in quickly adapting their illicit schemes to pocket taxpayers’ money. However, he explains that as fraud patterns and opportunities evolve, so too does the ability to counteract and prevent such activity. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has over 20 years of experience in stopping fraudsters, counterfeiters and smugglers. Mr Itälä outlines the various ways how, working closely with many partners, OLAF aims to make sure that EU funding goes to the people and projects for which it is intended.
 

About the Speaker:

Mr Itälä is a lawyer by training. He was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1995 and from 2000 to 2003 he served as the country’s Interior Minister. In 2004, he represented South-West Finland in the European Parliament before joining the European Court of Auditors in 2012. Mr Itälä was appointed to his current role as Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in 2018.