The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) launched on the 20^th of March its Fifth Evaluation Round, just before the 75th plenary. The round will focus on “Preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies”.

The event consisted of high-level political interventions, followed by a dynamic debate involving GRECO members, Ambassadors, experts, civil society and media representatives. Speakers included Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Attorney General of Cyprus Costas Clerides, Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on corruption Michele Nicoletti, European Commission Anti-Fraud Office Director General Giovanni Kessler, Chief Anti-corruption prosecutor of Romania Laura Codruța Kövesi and Transparency International’s Chair José Ugaz.

United Kingdom and Slovenia will be the first states to be evaluated in GRECO´s 5th round. A GRECO delegation will visit these two countries next June to meet with the relevant authorities and stakeholders as part of the work to prepare the evaluation reports. After the summer, GRECO will  visit Finland, Iceland and Luxembourg in order to prepare reports on these countries.

In the new evaluation round, GRECO will monitor the measures that states have in place to prevent and combat corruption in functions such as those of heads of State, heads of central government, members of central government (e.g. ministers), as well as other political appointees who exercise top executive functions such as deputy ministers, State Secretaries, heads and members of a minister’s private office and senior political officials.

With regard to these functions, GRECO will look into issues such as conflicts of interest, revolving doors, declaration of assets and accountability mechanisms.

Open to the press, the conference had a live webcast and started at 9.30 a.m. on 20 March (Room G03, Agora building).

• Link to the broadcast

Opening remarks

Moderator: Mr Jan Kleijssen, Director, Information Society and Action against Crime, Council of Europe

• Ms Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
• Mr Costas Clerides, Attorney General of Cyprus
• Mr Michele Nicoletti, MP, member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Rapporteur on “Corruption as a Governance Regime: A Barrier to Institution al Efficiency and Progress”
• Ms Marta Hirsch-Ziembisnka, Head of Unit, European Ombudsman’s Office
• Mr Patrick Moulette, Head of the Anti-corruption Division (OECD)

Debate

Moderator: Mr Manuel Lezertua, Ombudsman, Basque Country (Spain)

• Mr Giovanni  Kessler,  Director General,  European  Commission Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
• Mr José Ugaz, Chair of the Board, Transparency International (TI)
• Mr Ceda Ogada, Deputy General Counsel, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Mr Will Fitzgibbon, Reporter, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
• Ms Laura Codruța Kövesi, Chief Anti-Corruption Prosecutor  of Romania
• Mr  Stephen Watson, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, United Kingdom
• Ms Ina Rama, former Prosecutor General of Albania

Closing remarks by Mr Marin Mrčela, President of GRECO

Background information:

• Programme
• List of Participants

First Session Photo Gallery

Second Session Photo Gallery