Article 28 Protection of the financial interests of the members

The Joint Undertaking shall grant Commission staff and other persons authorised by the respective Joint Undertaking or the Commission, as well as the Court of Auditors or, for the purpose of the audit referred to in Article 8(3), the audit authorities of the Participating States, access to its sites and premises and to all the information, including information in electronic format, needed in order to conduct their audits.

OLAF and EPPO may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 ( 7 ) and Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 8 ) and with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union in connection with an agreement, a decision or a contract funded under this Regulation.

Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, agreements, decisions and contracts resulting from the implementation of this Regulation shall contain provisions expressly empowering the Commission, the respective Joint Undertaking, the Court of Auditors, EPPO and OLAF, and, for the purpose of the audit referred to in Article 8(3), the audit authorities of the Participating States, to conduct such audits, on-the spot checks and investigations in accordance with their respective competences.

The Joint Undertaking shall ensure that the financial interests of its members are adequately protected by carrying out or commissioning appropriate internal and external controls.

The Joint Undertaking shall accede 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) ( 9 ). The Joint Undertaking shall adopt the necessary measures needed to facilitate internal investigations conducted by OLAF.