High-level Conference on the occasion of

GRECO’s 10th Anniversary - Strasbourg, 5 October 2009

News Flash

Strasbourg, 20 August 2009 - In October 2009, 10 years will have elapsed since 21 member States of the Council of Europe gathered in Strasbourg on the occasion of the first plenary meeting of the Group of States against Corruption – GRECO.

Save for Liechtenstein and San Marino, GRECO now comprises 45 of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe as well as the United States of America. As anti-corruption watchdog of the Organisation, GRECO monitors the respect by member states of their commitments in this field, issues tailor-made recommendations and subsequently assesses the implementation of these recommendations in practice.

The conference which takes place during the Slovenian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, is designed as a high-level event which will bring together Ministers, Secretaries of State as well as other important stakeholders in the fight against corruption, including representatives from many international organisations and bodies.

During the two morning sessions of the conference, Ministers and Secretaries of State from some fourteen countries will highlight achievements in three distinct areas:

Prevention of corruption – fighting corruption in public administration

Contribution of criminal law to the fight against corruption

Transparency of political financing

The two expert roundtables in the afternoon will be devoted to the cooperation of international stakeholders in the fight against corruption as well as future challenges and emerging subject areas, such as lobbying and bribery in the private sector.

Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Acting Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Aleš ZALAR, Minister of Justice of Slovenia, and Mr Drago KOS, President of GRECO and Chair of the Slovenian Commision for the prevention of corruption, will address the conference in the opening Session.

Media
The conference is open to the media.

Interviews with Ministers and other speakers and participants can be arranged upon request.

For further information visit www.coe.int/greco or contact the Council of Europe Press Division (pressunit@coe.int).

Draft Programme