Introduction to Corruption Prevention

Developed by the Economic Crime & Cooperation Division in collaboration with the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals Programme of the Council of Europe

The course provides overview of forms of corruption and prevention tools, ethics and how codes of conduct promote ethical behaviour, conflicts of interest and ways of managing such situations, purpose and enforcement of post-employment restrictions, regulating management of gifts, aims of asset declarations systems, role of free access to information in corruption prevention, regulating lobbying activities, transparency of political financing, protecting whistleblowers, corruption risks in public procurement and measures to mitigate them, and the role of auditing in anti-corruption.

Through reflection exercises, quizzes and scenarios, the course puts on the spotlight ethical dilemmas and challenges in implementing anti-corruption measures. It engages the learners into exploring how to deal with them, for example when it comes to acceptance of gifts or properly managing a conflict of interest situation. It also brings clarity to the approach taken by the Council of Europe with respect to these issues, as contained in the  standards set by the Council of Europe conventions, resolutions and other instruments, and provided in the recommendations of GRECO, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption monitoring body.

This course is suitable for “beginners” as well as for those who already have knowledge about the prevention of corruption but are curious to find new and specific perspectives. It is of approximately 6 hours of length and a HELP statement of accomplishment is granted when completed. The course is available in various languages. 

Click here to take the course

Ethics for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers

Developed in 2020-21 by the Council of Europe HELP Programme under the EU-CoE “HELP in the EU II” project, in cooperation with several Council of Europe entities/services such as the Secretariats of the Venice Commission, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) and the Consultative Councils of European Judges and Prosecutors (CCJE and CCPE) as well as the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights.

This course covers in an interactive way the key concepts, the International and European (CoE and EU) framework and the relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).  It is aimed at deepening the knowledge and understanding of professional tools and at developing reflective skills, based on practical examples, to address ehtical dilemmas in the performance of professional duties. it includes the main international standards for each profession (such as the Bangalore Principles, as well as, at CoE level, the standards and guidelines references in the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) materials, the Venice Commission relevant opinions and Rule of Law Checklist, the opinions issued by the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) and the Consutlative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE), as well as the relevant case law of the ECtHR. At EU level, it includes the relevant EU framework, including Article 47 of the EU Charter of Fundamental RIghts and the case-law of the CJEU, as well as references to the EU initiatives to strenghten the rule of law, such as the Rule of Law reports and the specific Rule of Law Mechanism. 

This course is thought to help professionals understand the purpose and importance of ethics in the administration of justice for the benefit of the people, allowing to identify key concepts and understand common values, ethical principles and virtues. 

The course is of approximatively nine hours and those who complete it can obtain an HELP statement of accomplishment. The course is available in various languages. 

Click here to take the course