Giovanni Kessler

Last updated

Kessler at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly Giovanni Kessler-OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (cropped).jpg
Kessler at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly

Giovanni Kessler (born 11 June 1956 in Trento) is an Italian prosecutor. He was until 2017 the Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). OLAF is a department of the European Commission, but it is independent in its investigative function. Based in Brussels, OLAF is tasked with protecting the financial interests of the European Union by investigating fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities. It also investigates serious matters relating to the discharge of professional duties by members and staff of the EU institutions and it supports the EU institutions, in particular the European Commission, in the development and implementation of anti-fraud legislation and policies.

Contents

Early life and education

Giovanni Kessler is the son of Bruno Kessler (1924–1991), a former President of the Autonomous Province of Trento and vice-minister to the Interior. Kessler graduated in law at the University of Bologna.

Career

In 1985, Kessler became a member of the Italian judiciary and served as prosecutor in the courts of Trento and then of Bolzano. From 1995 he worked for two years as anti-mafia prosecutor in Caltanissetta (Sicily) at the anti-mafia Directorate. [1]

From 1998 to 1999, Kessler was Deputy Head of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission in Pristina, in charge of Police and Justice matters. As judicial expert, he also participated to several evaluation missions of the European Commission and Council of Europe in Eastern Europe.

Member of the Parliament of Italy, 2001–2006

In 2001, Kessler was elected to the Italian Parliament as an independent member. He sat on the Committee on Justice Affairs and during his five-year term, he authored numerous bills on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Convention against corruption, the International Judiciary Cooperation and the European Arrest Warrant.

In addition to his committee assignments, Kessler was also a member of the Italian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2003 until 2006, he served as Vice-President of the Assembly. He participated in and led International Election Monitoring missions in the United States and in many other OSCE countries. In 2003, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, appointed Kessler as his Special Representative during that year's parliamentary election in Armenia. [2]

From 2006 to 2008, Kessler held the position of Italian High Commissioner to Combat Counterfeiting.

In December 2008, Kessler was elected member, and subsequently President, of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Trento. [3] He resigned from this position before taking up the post of Director-General of OLAF in early 2011.

In 2009 Kessler started with Dieter Steger (SVP) and Herwig van Staa (ÖVP), chairmen of the legislative assemblies of South Tyrol and Tyrol, the project of a Euroregion that, for the three territories, would represent a recovery of historical Tyrol. The legislative assemblies of the autonomous provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol and Tyrol then unanimously approved the Euroregion Tyrol – South Tyrol – Trentino. [4]

Head of OLAF, 2011–2017

In 2010, Kessler was nominated for the post of Director-General of OLAF, the Anti-Fraud office of the European Union. [5] In late 2010, the European Parliament voted narrowly to put Kessler ahead of Thierry Cretin, an OLAF director. Later, the Council of the European Union decided that Kessler and Johan Denolf, from the anti-fraud unit of the Belgian judicial police, were their top two. [6]

Kessler took office in February 2011 and soon became engaged in a comprehensive reform process to strengthen the efficiency of OLAF, aiming to step-up the fight against fraud and corruption in Europe. In 2012, he was elected President of the European Partners Against Corruption / European Anti-Corruption Network (EPAC/EACN), a formal network comprising close to fifty anti-corruption authorities from European Union Member States. The Network was set up to improve cooperation between authorities mandated with the fight against corruption in the European Union, as well as to foster closer relations between Member States and the European institutions.

Upon taking office, Kessler led the investigation into the 2011 cash for influence scandal in the European Parliament. During that time, OLAF was working closely with national authorities from Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, Belgium and France; two MEPs – from Austria and Slovenia – resigned; a third was suspended by his party. [7]

From 2012, Kessler oversaw the investigation that led to John Dalli, the then European health commissioner, losing his job over accusations that he asked for cash from a tobacco company in exchange for opening up the EU market to that company’s products. That investigation also ensnared Kessler, with Belgian authorities starting an investigation into allegations that he had broken the law during OLAF’s probe into Dalli. The European Commission lifted his immunity, opening him up to prosecution, prompting Kessler to launch legal action.

In his book "Hold up in Brussels, les lobbies au coeur de l'Europe" published in 2014, MEP José Bové told the story of how Giovanni Kessler, in connection with the then secretary general of the European Commission Catherine Day, covered what would later be proven to be false accusations of bribery which led to the resignation of Commissioner Dalli. In march 2016, the Belgian prosecutor's office required 14 months in prison and a fine against him. [8] As of July 2017, both the Belgian investigation and the case about his immunity were ongoing. [9] They would later be dropped.

In 2013, he became a Member of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA). IAACA has more than three hundred organizational members which cover nearly all law enforcement national institutions and bodies entrusted with the task of fighting against corruption and more than two thousand individual members, including prosecutors, investigators and experts with experience in anti-corruption research or practice.

In 2014, Kessler became a member of the commission on appointment of the new bureau chief of the Ukrainian anti-Corruption Bureau. [10]

In 2017, Marine Le Pen filed a lawsuit against OLAF and Kessler himself, charging that the anti-fraud office acted as a tool of President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz to undermine her and her party. [11]

Head of the Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency, 2017–present

In July 2017, Kessler was appointed as head of the Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency in Rome. [12]

Member of the International Anti-corruption Advisory Board in Ukraine (IACAB), 2017–present

In September 2017, Kessler joined the IACAB, which operates in the framework of the European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trento</span> Comune in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy

Trento, also known in English as Trent, is a city on the Adige River in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy. It is the capital of the autonomous province of Trento. In the 16th century, the city was the location of the Council of Trent. Formerly part of Austria and Austria-Hungary, it was annexed by Italy in 1919. With 118,142 inhabitants, Trento is the third largest Italian city in the Alps and second largest in the historical region of Tyrol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul van Buitenen</span> Dutch politician

Paul van Buitenen is a retired Dutch politician of the Europe Transparent Party who served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009.

Hildegard Carola Puwak was a Romanian politician, a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), who served as the Minister for European Integration from 2000 until October 2003. Puwak was of German ethnicity (Swabian) and represented Timiș County in the Chamber of Deputies from 1996 to 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Anti-Fraud Office</span> European Union agency

The European Anti-Fraud Office is a body mandated by the European Union (EU) with protecting the Union's financial interests. It was founded on 28 April 1999, under the European Commission Decision 1999/352. Its tasks are threefold:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dalli</span> Maltese politician

John Dalli is a Maltese former politician who served as Cabinet Minister in various Maltese governments between 1987 and 2010. He was European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy between 2010 and 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Public Prosecutor's Office</span> Agency of the European Union

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is an independent body of the European Union (EU) with juridical personality, established under the Treaty of Lisbon between 23 of the 27 states of the EU following the method of enhanced cooperation. The EPPO was established as a response to the need for a prosecutorial body to combat crimes affecting the financial interests of the European Union (EU). The idea of establishing the EPPO gained momentum with a legislative proposal put forth by the European Commission in 2013. After lengthy negotiations and discussions within the European Council, the European Parliament and Member States, Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 was adopted on October 12, 2017, formalizing the creation of the EPPO. The EPPO Regulation is the EPPO's legal basis, as it outlines the objectives, structure, jurisdiction, and operational procedures. Directive (EU) 2017/1371, also known as the PIF Directive, specifies the criminal offenses affecting the EU's financial interest falling under the EPPO's jurisdiction. The EPPO's primary mandate is to investigate and prosecute offenses such as fraud, corruption, and money laundering that harm the financial interests of the EU, as defined by the PIF Directive. The EPPO represents a significant step towards a more integrated and effective approach to combating transnational crimes within the EU, fostering collaboration and coordination among member states to protect the Union's financial resources. As an independent EU body, the EPPO plays a crucial role in ensuring the rule of law and safeguarding the integrity of the EU's financial system. The EPPO is based in Kirchberg, Luxembourg City alongside the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Panzeri</span> Italian politician

Pier Antonio Panzeri is an Italian politician who served as Member of the European Parliament for the North-West with the Democrats of the Left, the Democratic Party and Article One, as part of the Socialist Group, from 2004 until 2019.

Hans-Martin Tillack, is a German reporter, who grew up in Stuttgart.

The International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) is an independent and non-political anti-corruption organization established at its inaugural Annual Conference and General Meeting held in Beijing, China in October 2006. The main objective of the organization is to promote the effective implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 31 October 2003, and to assist anti-corruption authorities in the world in preventing and fighting against corruption. Currently, over 160 ACAs from different countries and jurisdictions have joined IAACA as members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Anticorruption Directorate</span> Romanian anti-corruption agency

The National Anticorruption Directorate, formerly National Anticorruption Prosecution Office, is the Romanian agency tasked with preventing, investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offenses that caused a material damage to the Romanian state. The institution deals with the fight against high corruption offences, which have caused damage greater than €200,000 or if the object of the crime is property or sums of money amounting to over €10,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrid Thors</span> Finnish politician

Astrid Gunilla Margareta Thors was a Member of the Finnish Parliament 19 March 2003 – 4 September 2013. A Finnish-Swedish politician, formerly of the Swedish People's Party, Thors is a Candidate of Law and held several senior jobs before becoming a Member of the European Parliament in 1996 where she worked until 2004. From 2005 to 2007 she chaired the Swedish Assembly of Finland.

Presidential elections were held in Armenia on 19 February 2008. Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was elected in the first round according to official results, but this was disputed by former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was officially placed second.

Franz-Hermann Brüner was a German public official who served as the director-general of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). He was first appointed to the post in 2000, and was reappointed to the post in 2006 over the European Parliament’s preferred candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Anti-Corruption Academy</span> Intergovernmental organization

The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) is an international intergovernmental organization based in Laxenburg, Austria, that teaches government officials and professionals about anti-corruption measures. Membership to the organization is, without a mandatory membership fee, open to UN-member states and intergovernmental organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budget accountability in the European Union</span>

The European Union employs a variety of public accountability measures to review and reform budgets across government. As the EU's budget is at risk of maladministration, every year the Court of Auditors reports on the management of the budget. European Union auditors have stated that as they implement more transparency and double-entry book-keeping systems, it is likely to improve budget management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrol</span> Region across the Alps

Tyrol is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, from its formation in the 12th century until 1919. In 1919, following World War I and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, it was divided into two modern administrative parts through the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Lithuania</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Lithuania describes the prevention and occurrence of corruption in Lithuania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Agency for Asylum</span> Agency of the European Union

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) is an agency created by European Union Regulation 439/2010 within the area of freedom, security and justice framework to increase the cooperation of EU member states on asylum, improve the implementation of the Common European Asylum System, and support member states under pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caviar diplomacy</span> Lobbying strategy of Azerbaijan

Caviar diplomacy is a lobbying strategy of Azerbaijan, consisting of costly invitations to foreign politicians and employees of international organizations to Azerbaijan at the expense of the host country. Caviar diplomacy also includes expensive gifts presented as "a tribute to the Eastern tradition."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ninth European Parliament</span> Incumbent session of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024

The ninth European Parliament was elected during the 2019 elections and is slated to remain in session until the forthcoming 2024 elections.

References

  1. ↑ Hector Paris. "The PM at Fort Apache". Questotrentino. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  2. ↑ Italian Parliamentarian Giovanni Kessler to lead OSCE observation of Armenian elections OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, press release of 23 May 2003.
  3. ↑ "Giovanni Kessler is the new president of the Provincial Council". PAT Council. 2 December 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
  4. ↑ "Constitution of the European Grouping of Cross-Border Cooperation". Consiglio della provincia autonoma di Trento  [ it ]. Archived from the original on 13 November 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  5. ↑ EU Observer, 14 December 2010
  6. ↑ OLAF's frontrunner European Voice , 24 November 2010.
  7. ↑ Constant Brand (25 May 2011), New OLAF boss embarks on reforms European Voice .
  8. ↑ "14 mois de prison requis par le parquet fédéral contre l'ancien directeur de l'Olaf". L'Echo (in French).
  9. ↑ Carmen Paun (28 July 2017), EU anti-fraud chief to lead Italian customs agency Politico Europe
  10. ↑ Recruitment for anti-corruption chief announced, Kyiv Post (13 January 2015)
  11. ↑ Giulia Paravicini (21 February 2017), Le Pen takes on anti-fraud office, citing double standards Politico Europe .
  12. ↑ "The Sheriff who took on fraud". www.neweurope.eu. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  13. ↑ "Short Biographical Notes: International Anti-Corruption Advisory Board Members" (PDF). Denmark in Ukraine: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2018.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Giovanni Kessler at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.