Fight against fraud: protection of the Community financial interests, Hercule II action programme 2007-2013

This staff working document presents the annual overview with information on the results of the Hercule II Programme in 2013.

The report’s main conclusions are as follows:

The results clearly show that the activities covered by the annual overview 2013, and funded under the Hercule II Programme, were overall successful.

Budget implementation: the available budget for the Hercule II Programme was committed 91%. Half of the budget was spent on grant agreements, in particular technical assistance, which require a national co-funding of at least 50% of the eligible costs. Budget restrictions in the Member States eventually led to fewer applications for smaller amounts as well as the withdrawal of some successful applications.

The Commission adopted a proposal for a new programme, Hercule III, under the Multi-Annual Financial Framework MFF (2014-2020). The new Hercule III Regulation was formally adopted on 26 February 2014 and entered into force on 21 March 2014. It shall apply from 1 January 2014 in order to ensure the continuity of the Programme.

By 31 December 2014, the Commission (OLAF) shall present to the European Parliament and to the Council a report on the achievement of the objectives of the programme.