As soon as the executive agency is set up, it shall subscribe to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 25 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the Commission of the European Communities concerning internal investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)(8).

In order to step up the fight against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the European Community, the European Anti-Fraud Office established by Commission Decision 1999/352/EC, ECSC, Euratom (hereinafter "the Office") shall exercise the powers of investigation conferred on the Commission by the Community rules and Regulations and agreements in force in those areas.

2.The Centre shall accede to the Inter-institutional Agreement of 25 May 1999 concerning internal investigations by the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF)(10) and shall issue, without delay, the appropriate provisions applicable to all of its staff.

In order to step up the fight against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the European Atomic Energy Community, the European Anti-Fraud Office established by Commission Decision (1999/352/EC, ECSC, Euratom) (hereinafter "the Office" shall exercise the powers of investigation conferred on the Commission by the Community rules and regulations and agreements in force in those areas.

Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1) and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999(2) concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (hereinafter "the Office") provide that the Office is to initiate and conduct administrative investigations within the institutions, bodies and offices and agencies established by or on the basis of the EC Treaty or Euratom Treaty;

The Agency shall accede to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 25 May 1999 concerning internal investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and shall issue, without delay, the appropriate provisions applicable to all the employees of the Agency.

The Agency shall accede to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 25 May 1999 concerning internal investigations by the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF)(9) and shall issue, without delay, the appropriate provisions applicable to all the employees of the Agency.

Whereas Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999(1) and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 of 25 May 1999(2) concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) provide that the Office is to initiate and conduct administrative investigations within the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies established by or on the basis of the EC or Euratom Treaties;

Whereas the Interinstitutional Agreement of 25 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union of the Commission the European Community concerning internal investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)(3) commits the signatory institutions, and the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies which accede to the Agreement, to adopting an internal decision in accordance with the model attached to the Agreement and not to deviate from that model save where their own particular requirements make such deviation a technical necessity;

For purposes of the receipt and transmission of information between Eurojust and OLAF, and without prejudice to Article 9, Member States shall ensure that the national members of Eurojust shall be regarded as competent authorities of the Member States solely for the purposes of Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 and Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1074/1999 of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)(9).

The Management Board, having received the Commission's approval and the opinion of the Court of Auditors, shall adopt the Authority's financial regulation which specifies in particular the procedure for drawing up and implementing the Authority's budget, in accordance with Article 142 of the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(26) and with the legislative requirements concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office.

The authorities and bodies referred to in Articles 60(6) and 65(2) of the Financial Regulation shall be understood to mean the bodies designated by the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities (hereinafter "the Staff Regulations") and the decisions of the Community institutions concerning the terms and conditions for internal investigations in relation to the prevention of fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity detrimental to the Communities' interests.