TITLE VI - THE FUNCTIONING OF THE UNION
CHAPTER II - FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 5 - COMBATING FRAUD
ARTICLE III-415
1. The Union and the Member States shall counter fraud and any other illegal activities affecting the Union's financial interests through measures taken in accordance with this Article. These measures shall act as a deterrent and be such as to afford effective protection in the Member States and in all the Union's institutions, bodies, offices and agencies.
2. Member States shall take the same measures to counter fraud affecting the
Union's financial interests as they take to counter fraud affecting their own
financial interests.
3. Without prejudice to other provisions of the Constitution, the Member States
shall coordinate their action aimed at protecting the Union's financial interests
against fraud. To this end they shall organise, together with the Commission,
close and regular cooperation between the competent authorities.
4. European laws or framework laws shall lay down the necessary measures in
the fields of the prevention of and fight against fraud affecting the Union's
financial interests with a view to affording effective and equivalent protection
in the Member States and in all the Union's institutions, bodies, offices and
agencies. They shall be adopted after consultation of the Court of Auditors.
5. The Commission, in cooperation with Member States, shall each year submit
to the European Parliament and to the Council a report on the measures taken
for the implementation of this Article.