On 27 October 2026, GRECO President David Meyer addressed the 51st Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, during a joint debate on early warning instruments against democratic backsliding. He underlined that preventing corruption and promoting integrity in local and regional government are essential to the health of democracies. In this context, he recalled that GRECO’s Sixth Evaluation Round, launched in March 2025, is the first to address corruption prevention at local and regional levels, where citizens most directly experience public authority.

Mr Meyer pointed out that corruption does not always begin with a scandal and that democratic backsliding may also result from a gradual erosion of transparency and accountability. Early warning therefore requires identifying patterns, verifying facts and acting in a timely manner. While acknowledging the potential of artificial intelligence and data analysis to detect corruption risks, he stressed that such tools must remain under human oversight and cannot by themselves create integrity, which depends above all on the culture of each institution and the example set by its leadership. He further emphasised that elected representatives and officials who stand up against corruption must be able to count on protection and support.

Welcoming the Congress Checklist on preventing corruption and promoting integrity at local and regional levels as a complement to GRECO’s in-depth evaluations, Mr Meyer called for closer cooperation between GRECO and the Congress, within their respective mandates, to ensure that good practices are shared across Europe’s cities and regions.