Anti-corruption network in the European Union: A study by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

Abstract

Until the early 1990s, corruption was considered, for some researchers, a grease that “lubricates” bureaucracy and over-regulation, and is considered efficient in achieving greater speed in public administration. From the 1990s, however, research has predominantly analyzed the phenomenon in relation to social, economic and political damage, being a decisive factor for the progress or failure of nations. Thus, reforms were suggested to reduce the incidence of this complex problem, where it is understood as fundamental the union of several actors acting in an interorganizational network to combat the phenomenon. In this context, this case study was conducted whose main objective is to analyze aspects of the formatting, cooperation and coordination of actions to combat network corruption through the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in relation to European Union (EU) resources. The empirical evidences of the exploratory research of qualitative were based on the bibliographic and documentary research. Based on the information and content analyzed, it appears that OLAF is interacting with various actors from EU countries, carrying out anti-corruption actions in conjunction with Member States’ national anti-fraud