11 December 2023
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The 2022 Annual Report to the Parliament of the National Committee for the Suppression of Fraud against the European Union (COLAF) was presented on 11 December 2023 by the Minister for European Affairs, the South, Cohesion Policies and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Raffaele Fitto, and the Commander of the Anti-Fraud Unit of the Guardia di Finanza, General of Division Stefano Screpanti.
The Report provides a comprehensive analysis of EU infringements discovered in Italy in 2022, a year characterised by a number of cases of irregularities and fraud (514) and related amounts (for a total of just under EUR 72 million) below the average of the last five years (equal to 647 and just under 83 million euro respectively).
Of the cases reported, about 90% (461) concern irregularities, i.e. cases characterised by non-intentionality and violations of limited impact, while only a little more than 10% (53) are true fraud.
Minister Raffaele Fitto highlighted, on the occasion of the presentation of the report, the importance for our country of having an effective system of prevention and repression of fraud, especially in the current scenario in which about 350 billion euros are at stake, between NRRP and related National Complementary Plan, RepowerEu, Cohesion Fund of 2021-2027 programming and National Cohesion Fund. It therefore stressed that the effective cooperation between all the administrations belonging to the Committee and the positive results achieved must be further developed precisely in view of the progressive, concrete implementation of the many actions foreseen by the NRRP, especially following the approval by the EU of the significant changes proposed by Italy.
Division General Stefano Screpanti, Commander of the Guardia di Finanza Unit for the Suppression of Fraud Against the EU at the Department for European Affairs, highlighted the initiatives taken by Italy and COLAF for the correct application of the Recommendations issued by the Commission for 2022 concerning the implementation of the 2017 Directive on the Protection of Financial Interests, the collaboration with the European Public Prosecutor's Office, the strengthening of risk analysis and the digitalisation of the fight against fraud, all areas in which Italy is undoubtedly at the forefront.