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Irish Examiner
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
EU hits Ireland with a wave of infringement notices
Ireland is under scrutiny by the European Commission, which issued five formal notices on Thursday seeking information or requiring action on a range of issues spanning property services, fraud protection, and taxation. Property services One notice targets the provision of property services and Ireland's requirement that companies from other countries wishing to provide such services here must have authorisation and client protection schemes in their home country. The commission argues that this requirement unfairly hinders service providers from other EU states. 'It prevents providers of property services from providing these services in Ireland if they are established in a member state where no such schemes exist,' the commission stated. Ireland has been given two months to respond to this letter of formal notice. Customs and banking data Ireland is one of six countries to receive a formal notice for failing to meet its obligations on customs data transmission through the EU's digital system. Despite deadlines to comply, Ireland, Czechia, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, and Slovakia continue to use outdated formats and provide reduced datasets. Ireland also received a letter of formal notice for failing to comply with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) by transmitting bank account information and records of banking transactions. The commission said these are crucial for investigating fraud and corruption affecting the EU budget: 'Requirements have been in force since January 2021, yet Ireland has not notified the national authority competent to provide OLAF with bank account information and records of bank transactions. 'Hence, OLAF is unable to address any request for such information needed in the context of its investigations.' Renewable energy The commission said Ireland, Portugal, and Latvia failed to fully transpose into law regulations which aim to simplify and accelerate permitting procedures both for renewable energy projects and for infrastructure projects necessary to integrate the additional capacity into the electricity system. Methane emissions Finally, Ireland is among several countries that have breached regulations related to methane emissions. The countries failed to appoint and notify the commission of a competent authority responsible for monitoring and enforcing the regulation's rules on methane emissions in the crude oil, natural gas, and coal sectors. For all five formal notices, Ireland has two months with which to respond, after which the commission may issue further sanctions. Read More Social Democrats ask EU anti-fraud watchdog to probe failure to inspect Shannon flights
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Top Eurocrat embroiled in free five-star holidays scandal
A senior European Commission official took free flights and holidays for his family while negotiating with a foreign country, the EU's anti-fraud agency has said. OLAF said it had exposed more than €870 million (£750.7 million) in misused EU funds in 2024. As part of its investigation, it found the civil servant had not declared gifts. Henrik Hololei, a former top transport official, is now facing a criminal investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and, following OLAF's recommendations, an internal disciplinary probe by the commission. He is accused of accepting luxury trips and staying in five star hotels for him and his wife while negotiating an aviation agreement with Qatar. The Estonian has since accepted a new role advising on international partnerships with reduced pay in the commission. OLAF said Mr Hololei had leaked sensitive internal documents with a non-EU country or entity in a breach of their duty of professionalism, loyalty and confidentiality. 'We confirmed that the person failed to declare their flights, hospitality, gifts as well as the complimentary benefits that their spouse received whilst accompanying them on a number of business trips,' it said. 'We further identified that a non-EU country's economic operator provided the senior staff member and their family with complimentary flight tickets and hotel accommodation.' The watchdog added, 'However, we did not conclude that these gifts and preferential treatment led the person to act favourably on behalf of a non-EU country or non-EU entity.' 'Disciplinary procedure' The European Public Prosecutor's Office opened criminal investigation into Mr Hololei over corruption allegations after Libération, a French newspaper, revealed confidential details of OLAF's inquiry. A European Commission spokesman said the EU executive had opened a disciplinary procedure against Mr Hololei earlier this year. 'This internal disciplinary procedure is ongoing and is carried out within a reasonable period of time, account being taken of both the interests of the institution and of the person concerned. The Commission does not comment further on individual cases,' the spokesman told The Telegraph. The procedure focuses on four alleged breaches of the commission's rules, including the unauthorised acceptance of gifts, conflict of interest, unauthorised disclosure of documents and transparency. Mr Hololei did not respond to a request for comment. MEPs have expressed disappointment that the aviation agreement with Qatar was not suspended after the allegations. The European Public Prosecutor's Office has confirmed an ongoing investigation. 'The EU's response is not just feeble – it's farcical. Even the top brass aren't beyond suspicion, yet the worst a wrongdoer can expect is a perfunctory slap on the wrist,' Frank Furedi, executive director of the eurosceptic think tank MCC Brussels said: 'With consequences so toothless, the rot is not just setting in, it's thriving. Brussels must act, or risk becoming a byword for impunity.' OLAF's annual report said it had uncovered fraud worth €870 million last year, closing 246 investigations and opening 230 new probes. It issued 301 recommendations to EU and national authorities. This included four recommendations to the European Commission after investigations, while another three probes have not yet been concluded. There were four ongoing investigations into European Parliament staff and one concluded in the council of the European Union. Two were concluded into staff at the European Investment Bank, while three were ongoing at the EU's foreign affairs service. Another two were concluded at Frontex, the EU's border agency. 'Substantial breaches' OLAF, which investigates the misuse of EU funds, found €4.4 million (£3.8 million) worth of irregularities in one EU agency's training program. The agency reimbursed full costs for goods like laptops and furniture and did not take into account depreciation costs. 'Laptops with a three to five year lifespan were fully reimbursed after only a few months of use. The Agency also funded furniture that could have been used for five to ten years, but was only used for a few months,' the report said. It found €120,000 (£103,000) in payments to EU staff that broke the rules. OLAF uncovered 'substantial breaches of procurement, transparency and financial management rules' related to a €114 million (£98.3 million) EU funded project in Poland to deliver power generators to Ukrainian regions suffering from power shortages because of the war. 'Thanks to our efforts, an impressive €91 million (£78.5 million) has been targeted for recovery,' it said, adding 'contracts were awarded without authentic competitive bidding.' It also closed the last of six investigations into a scandal that involved about €10 million (£8.6 million) of bribes being paid by farmers to Slovak officials to illegitimately access EU agricultural funds. It uncovered 'systemic and widespread use of bribes to ensure the undue approval of rural development projects for EU co-financed subsidies from 2015 to 2020.' The agency recommended the recovery of €10 million in EU funds and loans. After a two-year investigation it uncovered an illegal Greek landfill project, which cost the EU €1.1 million (£950,000). The landfill was dormant for the first three years of its existence before ignoring environmental and safety rules from 2019. 'It morphed into a chaotic dumping ground for all sorts of refuse, with equipment either shattered or useless. Ultimately, we discovered that the landfill in question was not even eligible for EU funding,' OLAF said.
Irish Examiner
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Social Democrats ask EU anti-fraud watchdog to probe failure to inspect Shannon flights
The Social Democrats have called on the EU's anti-fraud watchdog to investigate the failure to inspect flights at Shannon Airport. In a letter to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Gary Gannon TD said Ireland's refusal to inspect private or military aircraft landing at Shannon may be "systematically undermining" EU customs and Vat obligations. The director general at OLAF was told the lack of inspection opens the door to potential abuse by private operators trying to avoid Vat by routing through Ireland. Mr Gannon wrote: This is not a theoretical concern. It may also have significant implications for the integrity of the EU Vat system and the fair functioning of the internal market. Senator Patricia Stephenson, who also wrote to OLAF, highlighted concerns that flights into Shannon may be "facilitating Israel's genocidal war in Gaza". "There is credible evidence that military contractors and private aircraft carrying dual-use goods — goods that can be used in weapons systems — are moving through Irish airspace and Irish territory en route to Israel," said Ms Stephenson. Both Ms Stephenson and Mr Gannon have also written to the Attorney General seeking legal clarity on the Government's positions for non-inspection of flights. Raising the matter in the Dáil, Mr Gannon said: "The moral failure speaks for itself, but we are potentially in breach of EU Vat enforcement rules, which raises serious questions." Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government fulfils its legal obligations when it comes to the inspection of flights. "In respect of aviation, there are international conventions that the Government and all governments have to adhere to regarding inspections or state flights, for example, as opposed to commercial flights. "The Government is adhering to and observing those obligations," said Mr Martin.
