The Supervisory Committee
20. The Supervisory Committee was established
following the creation of OLAF in order to monitor the activities
of OLAF. The Supervisory Committee is composed of five independent
persons from outside the Union's institutions. They are appointed
by common accord of the European Parliament, the Council and the
Commission. The Committee meets regularly[13]
(each month except July and August). The current Chairman is Mr
Raymond Kendall.[14]
The Committee has a small secretariat drawn from OLAF staff.
21. The role of the Committee is to ensure the
independence of OLAF "by regular monitoring of the implementation"
of OLAF's investigative function. The Director-General is required
to keep the Committee informed of OLAF's activities, its investigations,
the results thereof and the action taken on them. The
Committee is also informed of cases where the institution or body
concerned has failed to act on OLAF's recommendations and of cases
which have been referred to national judicial authorities for
action.[15]
22. But, as Mr Kendall explained, the Supervisory
Committee's role has developed so that it has become also "a
kind of management committee". It has been concerned with
the administrative structures within OLAF and with such matters
as the rights of those being investigated. The Committee also
comments on OLAF's draft budget (QQ 216, 218)). The Supervisory
Committee, it should be noted, is not a Commission (or a comitology)[16]
committee but is independent and reports to all the institutions.[17]
It is, however, dependent on the Commission for its budget.
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