Parliament adopted a draft law that strengthens measures against fraud targeting the financial interests of the European Union. The legislation, supported by 57 deputies, transposes the EU Directive on the European funds’ protection of through criminal law into national legislation.
Drafted by the Ministry of Justice, the law supplements the Criminal Code with specific provisions concerning the misuse of EU funds. It acknowledges that the EU budget includes resources from institutions, agencies, and bodies, whether managed directly or indirectly.
A key feature of the law is the introduction of stricter criminal liability for the misuse of external funds, including subsidies, humanitarian aid, donations, grants, and loans.
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Under an amendment proposed by Veronica Rosca, head of Parliament’s Legal Committee, individuals found guilty of such offenses will face up to three years in prison and fines of up to 200,000 lei. Legal entities may be fined up to 300,000 lei and banned from conducting activities for up to five years.
For offenses committed on a scale or by public officials or organized crime groups, penalties will increase to up to 10 years of imprisonment, maximum fines, and additional bans.
The law also explicitly criminalizes the use or presentation of false or incomplete documents and the intentional omission of relevant information if these actions result in financial damage to the EU budget or budgets it administers.