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Convention of 26 July 1995 on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests (and its protocols)

Since 1995, a convention has been in place which seeks to protect, under criminal law, the financial interests of the EU and its taxpayers. Over the years, the Convention on the Protection of the European Communities’ Financial Interests has been supplemented by a series of protocols.

The Convention and its protocols:

  • provide a harmonised legal definition of fraud
  • require their signatories to adopt criminal penalties for fraud.

The Convention entered into force on 17 October 2002, along with its first protocol and the protocol on its interpretation by the Court of Justice. The second protocol entered into force on 19 May 2009.

The Directive on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law repealed this Convention.


type: Convention

Reference number: 316

Issue date: 26-07-95

Official Journal: OJ C 316, 27.11.1995, pp. 49-57

Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV:l33019

Uploads: CELEX_31995F1127(03)_EN_TXT