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News -
Last up-date :
29/05/2012
NEWS FLASH - NEWS FLASH - NEWS FLASH - NEWS FLASH -
NEWS FLASH
GRECO 55 - Strasbourg, 14-16 May 2012 -
Conclusions
Council of Europe anti-corruption body calls on states
to increase transparency of political funding
[Strasbourg, 09/04/2012] – The Council of
Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) today called on its member
states to set up transparent systems for party and election campaign
financing. In its
annual
activity report GRECO, while acknowledging an increase in regulatory
efforts by states in this field, points out a number of shortcomings:
- The transparency of some sources of income of parties, such as
donations in kind, party membership fees, loans or sponsorship are often
neglected by the legislation.
- Anonymous donations are still possible in some countries.
- Legislation in many countries does not include local party bodies and
other entities involved in election campaigns.
- Financial information is often not published in an easily accessible and
timely way.
- A large number of states fail to have a truly independent supervisory body
and in some states such a body does not exist or has limited functions.
- Sanctions are often weak, not flexible enough, limited in scope or not
applied.
(more...)
 Link
to the Annual activity report
Link
to the Statement delivered by Mr Marin MRČELA, President of GRECO
 Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption calls
on Italy to improve transparency in political party funding and to sanction
corruption vigorously
[Strasbourg, 11/04/2012] – The Council of
Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) identified critical
shortcomings in the party funding system of Italy which must be addressed as
a matter of priority. The control performed by public authorities over
political funding is fragmented and formalistic, consisting of three
different institutions with limited powers and no co-ordination either among
themselves or with law enforcement bodies. GRECO urges political parties to
develop their own internal control systems and to subject their accounts to
independent audit. (more...)
Links to
the report: Theme I /
Theme II
 GRECO’s first decade: some lessons to be learnt through
eight thematic articles
[Strasbourg, 03/04/2012] – The Group
of States against Corruption (GRECO) publishes today a compendium on the
themes that have been dealt with over the first decade of its existence
(from 2000 to 2011). GRECO has learned some key lessons from the analyses
conducted on the spot, during the evaluations carried out in its member
States [1], and has assembled them in a compendium which ranges from the
fight against corruption within public administration to the independence of
party funding monitoring, also covering revolving doors/pantouflage and the
protection of whistleblowers, just to cite a few titles.
This compendium is intended for any reader wishing to widen his / her
knowledge relating to the fight against corruption and to the safeguarding
of public integrity, be it for personal reasons or in the framework of his /
her professional or civic activities.
Link
to the Compendium
Link
to the different activity reports
_________________
[1] Currently 49 – 48 European States and the United States of America. To
see the complete list of members, click
here.
 Council of Europe calls on Monaco to reinforce its
legislation on bribery and to regulate political financing
[Strasbourg, 29/03/2012] – In its report on
Monaco [theme
I /
theme II] published today, the Group of States against Corruption
(GRECO) of the Council of Europe highlights that the incriminations of
bribery and trading in influence suffer from significant deficiencies with
regard to the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption. (more...)
 Council
of Europe Group of States against Corruption recommends more transparency in
San Marino’s public administration
[Strasbourg, 28/02/2012] – In its first report
on San Marino [hyperlink
to report], released today, the Council of Europe Group of States
against Corruption (GRECO) highlights that the country is still at an early
stage in the fight against corruption and needs to pay greater attention to
integrity and transparency in the public sector. (more...)
Link
to the report:
English
/ Français
/ Italiano*
* Unofficial translation provided by the authorities
of San Marino
 Council
of Europe Group of States against Corruption calls on the USA to ratify the
Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, praises the overall transparency of
political financing but stresses the need to enhance this transparency in
respect of certain types of contributions
[Strasbourg, 26/01/2012] – The
Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) calls for the
United States of America to ratify the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption
and to fully incorporate it into the law. (more...)
Links to
the report:
Theme I /
Theme II
 Council
of Europe Anti-corruption body calls on Austria to ratify the Criminal Law
Convention on Corruption and to improve transparency of political funding
[Strasbourg, 13/01/2012] – The Council of Europe’s Group of States
against Corruption (GRECO) today called for Austria to ratify the Criminal
Law Convention on Corruption, to fully implement it, and to swiftly and
substantially improve legislation on political funding. (more...)
Link to the report:
English:
Theme I
/ Theme II
Français:
Thème I
/ Thème II
Deutsch:
Thema I
/ Thema II*
_____________
* Translations provided by the authorities of Austria.
 GRECO
bids farewell to its President - Drago KOS - and elects a new President,
Vice-President and Bureau
[Strasbourg,
09/12/2011] – Drago KOS (Slovenia), GRECO’s President since 2002, left this important
function on the day of election of a new President, Vice-President and
Bureau at GRECO’s 53rd plenary meeting (5-9 December). Mr Kos’ outstanding
services to the Council of Europe and GRECO were honoured with the
Organisation’s Pro Merito Medal presented to him by Deputy Secretary General
Maud DE BOER-BUQUICCHIO. (more...)
For more information on the Plenary, click on
Decisions.
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Political financing: