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1. The Commission shall take appropriate measures to ensure that, when actions financed under this Decision are implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective checks and, if irregularities are detected, by the recovery of the amounts wrongly paid and, where appropriate, by effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties.

2. In implementing the Metrology Partnership, the Participating States shall take the legislative, regulatory, administrative and other measures necessary to protect the financial interests of the Union, in particular, to ensure full recovery of any amounts due to the Union in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046.

3. EURAMET shall grant Commission staff and other persons authorised by the Commission, as well as the Court of Auditors, access to its sites and premises and to all the information, including information in electronic format, needed in order to conduct their audits.

4. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 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 Decision.

5. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) may carry out investigations in accordance with the provisions and procedures laid down in Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 , with a view to investigating criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the Union as set out in Article 4 of that Regulation.

6. Without prejudice to paragraphs 3, 4 and 5, agreements, decisions and contracts resulting from the implementation of this Decision shall contain provisions expressly empowering the Commission, EURAMET, the Court of Auditors, EPPO and OLAF to conduct such audits, on-the-spot checks and investigations in accordance with their respective competences.