1. Anti-Fraud StrategiesЕ
Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud, affecting the Financial Interests of the EU
Boyko Kostov
Head of Unit “Operational Cooperation”
AFCOS Directorate
Ministry of Interior
Sofia – 9 April 2014

2. Anti-Fraud Strategies
Commission Anti - Fraud Strategy 2000
COM(2000) 358 final
Action Plans for the periods 2001—2003 and 2004—2005
Article 280 of the EC Treaty
The European Commission requires from the candidate countries to establish Anti-Fraud Coordination Service – AFCOS responsible for the coordination of all legal, administrative and operational measures for the protection of the EC financial interests and for cooperation with OLAF at operational level

3. Anti-Fraud Strategies
Council of Ministers Decree № 18 of for the establishment of a Council for coordination in the fight against infringements affecting the financial interests of the European Communities
Instruction for Cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria
Anti-Fraud Strategy
Council of Ministers Decision № 41/ , Action Plan 2006
Updated 2006
Establishment of AFCOS Unit – Ministry of Interior 2006
National OLAF Contact Point
Coordination
Operational Cooperation
Training

4. Anti-Fraud Strategies
Anti-Fraud Strategy
Updated 2009
AFCOS Directorate
National OLAF Contact Point
Coordination
Operational Cooperation
Training
Irregularities reporting
Administrative and Control Activity
National Contact Point under Regulation 1302 of 2008

5. Anti-Fraud Strategies
Commission Anti-Fraud Strategy 2011 г.
COM(2011) 376 final
Action Plan for fight against cigarettes smuggling 2011
Art. 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against irregularities and fraud
AFCOS Directorate – Ministry of Interior +
administrative investigations 2012

6. Anti-Fraud Strategies
Directive on the fight against EU fraud by means of criminal law
Regulation for the establishment of the EPPO
Regulation №883/2013 – the OLAF Regulation
Art.3, para. 4. Each EU Member State has the obligation to designed Anti-Fraud Coordination Service (AFCOS)
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Main objective – better protection of the EU financial Interests
Specific objectives:
Prevention
Detection and counteraction against irregularities and fraud
Investigation and sanctions
Recovery

7. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Protection of the EU financial interests
Shared responsibility
Definitions
European Anti-Fraud Office
Protection of the EU financial interests in Bulgaria - mechanism and stakeholders
Council for coordination of the fight against infringements affecting the financial interest of the European Union
AFCOS Directorate – Ministry of Interior
National institutions

8. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
EU level initiatives and recommendations of the European Commission
AFCOS Directorate irregularities analysis for the programming period
Structural and Cohesion Funds
62% - public procurement procedure infringements
21% - ineligible expenditure
6% - breach of contractual agreements
2% - declarations with false contents
8% - non-submission of expenditure proving documents, lack of audit trail, double funding, etc.
Agricultural Funds
80% - unduly received sums or no-recovery of sums received due to administrative mistake
13% - attempt for a document forgery, where the Prosecution Office has been informed
7% - non-implementation of contractual obligations

9. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Recommendations following the analysis
review of the legislation in the field of public procurement and absorption of the agricultural funds aimed at simplification of the requirements and reduction of the risks of fraud;
improvement of the mechanisms for recovery of unduly paid sums;
enhancement of the prevention through public awareness and revealing of bad practices;
enhancement of the prevention through conduct of trainings of the beneficiaries with regard to the rules for the use of EU funding and strengthening the administrative capacity of the Managing Authorities
improvement of the control with regard to the implementation of the EU funded projects and imposing of sanctions on the responsible person in the case of irregularities
carrying out cross-checks and use of best practices

10. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Priority 1: Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Prevention Measures
Measure 1.1: Harmonizing the legal framework with the EU requirements for the programming period
Measure 1.2: Strengthening the administrative capacity of the national fraud prevention structures
Measure 1.3: Improving transparency and public awareness
Measure 1.4: Integrated Databases and Information exchange systems.

11. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Priority 2: Improving coordination and strengthening cooperation in detection and counteraction
Measure 2.1: Updating the existing Cooperation Agreements
Measure 2.2: Strengthening cooperation with regard to the investigation of cases related to the own resources
Measure 2.3: Effective interaction and cooperation between all the stakeholders concerned
Measure 2.4: e-Administration of irregularities and simplified rules
Measure 2.5: Training and exchange of best practices

12. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Priority 3: Strengthening cooperation with OLAF and the EU Member States
Measure 3.1: Broadening and deepening the Cooperation with OLAF and other relevant EU and MS institutions
Measure 3.2: Broadening the OPERATIONAL Cooperation with OLAF and other relevant EU and MS institutions
Measure 3.3: Attending irregularities handling trainings and exchange of best practices

13. Anti-Fraud Strategies
National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and Fraud
Priority 4: Effective coordination aimed at higher efficiency in investigation, recovery and sanctions
Measure 4.1: Effective legal framework for criminal procedures, administrative procedures and disciplinary sanctions
Measure 4.2: Optimization of the national rules for financial, administrative and deterrent sanctions
Measure 4.3: Processes’ optimization – short and clear procedures for recovery
Measure 4.4: Improving the effectiveness of the administrative and penal procedures. Increasing the number of finalized with court decision

14. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!