EU Funds in Bolivia Water/Sanitation Projects
Dear Secretariat General of the European Commission,
Under the right of access to documents in the EU treaties, as developed in Regulation 1049/2001, I am requesting documents which contain the following information:
1. **
* Any records that mention the project titled *“Construcción Sistema de Alcantarillado Sanitario D6- Viacha”*, which has been identified in press articles as potentially linked to the investigation.
2. **Contracts and Financing Agreements**
* Copies of the following financing or contribution agreements referenced in OLAF’s investigation or internal briefings:
* Budget Support Contract LA/2019/409-406
* Contribution Agreement LA/2017/390-223 with AECID
* Contribution Agreement LA/2019/410-047 with AECID
* Any amendments, annexes or modifications to these agreements (including those noted as occurring in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, or 2020).
* Project fiches or equivalent summaries explaining the scope, budget, and donor co-financing for these actions.
3. **EU Funding Flows and Disbursements**
* Any internal or external records tracking EU disbursements under these agreements, including payments to AECID and the amounts committed, paid or remaining.
* Records or analyses distinguishing EU grant funding from other donor funding (AECID grants, IDB loans, local/municipal or national budget allocations).
* Any documentation on the financial management or reporting arrangements for these projects, including whether EU contributions were kept in separate accounts or pooled.
4. **Press Coverage and Public Allegations**
* Any internal OLAF analyses or summaries of press articles published around May 2023 alleging payment of 3% commissions on water and sanitation contracts in Bolivia, including any that identify the D6 Viacha project specifically.
* Correspondence with the EU Delegation in Bolivia or AECID discussing these press allegations or the identification of projects mentioned in media coverage.
5. **Correspondence with External Partners**
* Communications (including emails, letters, or meeting minutes) between OLAF and:
* The EU Delegation in Bolivia
* The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID)
* The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
* Bolivian authorities or prosecutorial services
* Especially any correspondence sharing or requesting details about the above-listed contracts, project funding structures, or possible links to criminal investigations in Bolivia.
6. **Legal Framework and Guidance**
* Any guidance notes or explanatory documents prepared by OLAF for internal or external use explaining the EU legal or regulatory provisions applicable to budget support contracts and contribution agreements in the context of these projects.
* Documents clarifying the rules on co-financing arrangements with AECID, IDB, and other donors for these specific actions.
7. ** Coordination Notes**
* Any records or notes describing OLAF’s strategy for coordination with Bolivian prosecutors, including discussion of how to present the investigation scope, EU rules, or funding management during meetings.
* Internal instructions or briefings concerning what OLAF staff should or should not disclose about EU involvement or OLAF’s own contacts with other donors.
If any of these requested documents are subject to exceptions under Regulation 1049/2001, I request partial access with appropriate redactions rather than blanket refusal.
If any part of this request is considered too broad or unclear, I kindly request assistance in narrowing or clarifying it in line with your duty to assist applicants.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
Yours faithfully,
Monika Schwartz
Your message has been received by the Transparency Unit of the
Secretariat-General of the European Commission.
Requests for public access to documents are treated on the basis of
[1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
The Secretariat-General will reply to your request within 15 working days
upon registration of your request and will duly inform you of the
registration of the request (or of any additional information to be
provided in view of its registration and/or treatment).
L’unité «Transparence» du secrétariat général de la Commission européenne
a bien reçu votre message.
Les demandes d’accès du public aux documents sont traitées sur la base du
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References
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Dear Ms Schwartz,
We refer to your request for access to documents submitted on 14 July 2025 via AsktheEU. Since you have not indicated your postal address, we are not able to start handling your request. The 15 working days to reply to your request will start running only when you send us your postal address. Please send us your full postal address at your earliest convenience. If we do not receive your reply, we may close this case.
Yours sincerely,
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE (OLAF)
Directorate D – Legal, Resources and Partnerships
Unit D.2 – Legal Advice
[email address]
Rue Joseph II, 30 • B-1000 Brussels (Belgium)
http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud
Our policy regarding personal data protection can be viewed on http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/about-us/...
Dear Ms Schwartz,
We have not received your postal address; therefore we are not able to start handling your request. Please send us your full postal address at your earliest convenience. You may do it by sending it by e-mail directly to us: [email address]. If we do not receive it by 5 September 2025, we will close this case.
Yours sincerely,
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE (OLAF)
Directorate D – Legal, Resources and Partnerships
Unit D.2 – Legal Advice
[email address]
Rue Joseph II, 30 • B-1000 Brussels (Belgium)
http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud
Our policy regarding personal data protection can be viewed on http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/about-us/...
Dear Ms Schwartz,
We refer to your request for access to documents submitted on 14 July 2025 via AsktheEU. Despite our repeated request you have not provided your postal address which is necessary for handling applications for public access to documents. Therefore, as informed by e-mail of 6 August 2025, we consider this case closed.
Yours sincerely,
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE (OLAF)
Directorate D – Legal, Resources and Partnerships
Unit D.2 – Legal Advice Rue Joseph II, 30 • B-1000 Brussels (Belgium) https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
Our policy regarding personal data protection can be viewed on https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu/olaf-and...