In an exclusive statement to The Brussels Morning Newspaper, MEP José Cepeda called for a transparent and strengthened democratic process in electing the Director-General of OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office). He emphasized the necessity of clear procedures with enhanced parliamentary oversight to ensure independence, integrity, and effectiveness. Cepeda also advocated for increased visibility of OLAF’s work to boost public trust in combating fraud across the EU.
Who is José Cepeda?
José Cepeda is a committed Member of the European Parliament and an active member of the Committee on Budgetary Control. Known for his focus on transparency, accountability, and EU financial integrity, Cepeda uses his position to safeguard the EU budget and promote good governance practices, especially within key oversight bodies like OLAF.
On responsibility and criteria for electing the OLAF Director-General
When asked by The Brussels Morning Newspaper about who should be responsible for electing the Director-General of OLAF and which criteria are most important, MEP José Cepeda explained,
“I demand from the European Parliament a clear, transparent, and verifiable procedure, not one in which information reaches MEPs in dribs and drabs.”
He described the current process as problematic:
“The European Commission publishes the vacancy and selects the candidates, which makes sense, but out of all the shortlisted applications, it only forwarded four to Parliament, asking it and the Council of the EU to jointly draw up a list of three. In other words, the role of the European Parliament and its Committee on Budgetary Control, of which I am a member, is reduced to excluding just one candidate.”
Cepeda stressed that
“the key criteria are independence and integrity, as well as extensive operational and managerial experience,”
adding the crucial
“ability to lead a body with such an important and sensitive mission.”
In his Facebook post he said,
On strengthening democratic control and transparency in OLAF’s leadership selection
Regarding measures to improve democratic control and transparency, Cepeda asserted,
“The role of the European Parliament must be clarified and strengthened. It is the only institution directly elected by European citizens and, therefore, must have all the means to fully exercise its role of democratic oversight.”
He emphasized that
“the Parliament’s role must be reinforced and safeguarded in the OLAF Regulation, and the upcoming revision of this regulation is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.”
Cepeda further proposed additional steps:
“A simple and effective example would be to publish the shortlist of candidates well in advance, allowing for a better examination of applications and ensuring awareness by the media and, ultimately, by civil society.”
He also underlined the importance of gender balance in the shortlist to uphold equality and legitimacy.
On enhancing the European Parliament’s role and visibility in OLAF oversight
Asked how the European Parliament can boost its oversight role and public trust, José Cepeda outlined several initiatives:
“We can hold more frequent hearings with OLAF’s leadership and its Supervisory Committee, establish clear performance indicators, and request and debate interim reports on ongoing investigations (where confidentiality allows) as well as on the implementation of its recommendations.”
He pointed out the vital connection between OLAF’s judicial recommendations and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office but warned that
“other recommendations—financial, disciplinary, or administrative—depend on the Commission, national authorities, or EU institutions, and their implementation often suffers from delays.”
Cepeda insisted,
“The European Parliament has a key margin for improvement in strengthening its monitoring and oversight role.”
He also lamented the lack of media attention, noting,
“The hearing for the candidates to chair OLAF was held on a Monday afternoon with hardly any media coverage.”
Cepeda concluded by emphasizing the need to raise public awareness that
“there are institutions safeguarding the EU budget so that it translates into real benefits in their daily lives.”
MEP José Cepeda’s statements underscore a pressing call for enhanced transparency, parliamentary empowerment, and public engagement to ensure OLAF’s leadership and work effectively contribute to protecting EU financial interests.
