The European Union (EU) Friday launched its new anti-fraud programme, covering the period 2014-2020.
The programme making 104.9 million euro (about $146 million) available to support Member States in fighting fraud, corruption and other illegal activities, was named Hercule III, Xinhua quoted an EU press release as saying.
"Hercule III will help make Member States stronger in fighting fraud and corruption, and ensure that EU taxpayers' money is better protected against illegal activity," said the European Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Statistics, Audit and Anti-Fraud, Algirdas Semeta.
The programme, Semeta said, will finance x-rays scanners and other technical equipment in harbors and airports, amongst other things, to stamp out that criminal activity, including tobacco smuggling which remains a high priority on EU's anti-fraud agenda.
