Non-governmental organisations

Engagement with civil society

National and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that play a significant role in the fight against corruption are key actors in the implementation and monitoring of Council of Europe standards in this area. GRECO recognises the contribution of civil society to anti-corruption efforts, acknowledges their influence in shaping policy and promoting transparency and accountability, and engages with them in various ways to support its work.

GRECO values the insights civil society brings to the fight against corruption. Whenever possible, it holds exchanges with NGOs on topics of relevance to GRECO’s monitoring. These exchanges offer diverse perspectives and insights and highlight issues that may need closer attention.

During GRECO’s on-site evaluation visits, meetings are held with national civil society representatives (e.g. national chapters of TI, Open Society, associations of judges, prosecutors or of lawyers, industry associations, academics, media representatives and others active in fields related to the themes of evaluation rounds (see the Guidelines for GRECO Evaluation Teams and the Guidelines for national delegations, evaluators and on-site visits (6^th round). The information and views gathered during these meetings often provide valuable insights that complement meetings with authorities of the evaluated country. To ensure open dialogue, civil society representatives are usually met early in the visits. Furthermore, as a rule, the authorities are invited to abstain from participation in meetings with representatives of civil society. This approach reflects GRECO’s commitment to including diverse perspectives in its evaluations.

GRECO also engages civil society in the preparatory phases of its evaluation rounds. Experts from academia have contributed to the design of both the 3^rd and, more recently, the 6^th Evaluation Rounds. Civil society representatives have contributed to GRECO’s high-level events, anniversaries, and training workshops for evaluators. Contributions from academic experts have also been featured in GRECO’s annual General Activity Reports.

GRECO’s Secretariat maintains active and constructive relationships with civil society organisations. Civil society representatives regularly consult the Secretariat on issues related to GRECO’s expertise, and the Secretariat participates in relevant external events whenever possible. This ongoing engagement has helped raise awareness of GRECO’s findings and methodology, while also empowering civil society to more effectively advocate for the implementation of GRECO’s recommendations at domestic level.