Anti-fraud strategy

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is committed to ensuring that its staff, members of committees and all external contractors pursue the highest standards of honesty, propriety and integrity in the exercise of their duties and has a 'zero tolerance' approach to fraud.

The overall objective of EMA's anti-fraud strategy is to improve prevention, detection and the conditions for investigation of fraud, in close collaboration with OLAF, and to pursue adequate deterrence and reparation, with proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

The anti-fraud strategy complements existing policies and procedures such as the EMA code of conduct , EMA's policy on handling competing interests and policy on handling allegations of improprieties received from external sources, thereby reinforcing the Agency's commitment to the highest standards of integrity.

For the purpose of the Agency's anti-fraud strategy, fraud is defined as an intentional breach of a rule with the aim of obtaining a gain, which may or may not have a direct impact on the financial interests of the EU. It may include misbehaviours that have only a reputational impact.

The Anti-Fraud Office within the Agency's Legal Department coordinates the implementation of the anti-fraud strategy and related action plan.

Any EMA staff member or third party can report alleged fraudulent behaviour to the Agency, using the template below.

After an initial analysis, the Agency will report to OLAF any instance of suspected fraud, which is exclusively competent to investigate such cases.