The Council of Europe's Anti-corruption body

GRECO Newsletter No. 7May 2022




INFOLETTRE EN FRANCAIS

Foreword by Hanne Juncher, Executive Secretary of GRECO

The period since our last newsletter has been marked by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its the heart-wrenching consequences.

Whilst we were still not completely rid of the Covid-19 pandemic, a fully-fledged armed conflict erupted in Europe, with Ukraine being invaded by the Russian Federation, sending ripples throughout the world. This has led to the unprecedented expulsion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe, following a decision of the Committee of Ministers of 16 March 2022.

That has also had repercussions on GRECO. By decisions of the Committee of Ministers, while the Russian Federation remains a party to the Criminal Law Convention against Corruption, it may continue to participate in the plenary meetings only when GRECO examines evaluation and compliance reports on the Russian Federation. Belarus for its part has seen its membership of GRECO suspended.

Against this complex backdrop, GRECO has pursued its work steadfastly. No less than seven on-site visits took place in 2021, and nine are scheduled for this year. The long list of compliance reports you will find in this newsletter is also testament to the fact that GRECO has remained active and productive. GRECO has once more demonstrated resiliance and resolve in fighting corruption.

To conclude these introductory words, let us hope that we shall soon see the end of the conflict in Ukraine, easing the great suffering endured by the people of Ukraine. This tragic situation only reinforces the relevance of the values we are all committed to defending.

International Anti-Corruption Day 2021

To mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, commemorated every year on
9 December, the President of GRECO,
Marin Mrčela, issued a statement

underlining that Covid-19 related corruption risks remained high, and that governments should respond quickly but lawfully to the pandemic.

Read statement ›

Special Event on Whistleblower Protection co-organised by GRECO at 9th Session of the Conference of UNCAC State Parties

GRECO, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Organization of American States, held a Special Event on “Whistleblower Protection” at the 9th Session of the Conference of the State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP-9)
on 14 December 2021 (Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt).

GRECO’s President statement at the Federation for EDucation in Europe’s (FEDE) General Assembly

The President of GRECO, Marin Mrčela, issued a video statement at the Federation for EDucation in Europe’s (FEDE) General Assembly which took place on 23-25 March 2022 in Dubrovnik (Croatia).

GRECO and FEDE have developed a pioneering education module on anti-corruption, which forms part of FEDE's course on European Culture and Citizenship. More than
10 000 students in 12 different countries have taken the course and corresponding examination at bachelor’s level since its launch in September 2019.

See video statement ›

European Court of Human Rights judgment on Poland cites to GRECO's findings

For the first time, the European Court of Human Rights, in its Grand Chamber composition, examined issues

regarding the exposure of the judiciary to interference by the executive and legislature in Poland (Grzęda v. Poland, judgment of 15 March 2022).

In its judgment, the Court found a violation of the applicant’s right to a fair trial owing to the inability to have his removal from the National Council of Judiciary (NCJ) before the expiry of the term of office reviewed by national courts. GRECO’s reports feature in the judgment, in particular its recommendation regarding the composition of the NCJ to ensure that at least half of its members are judges elected by their peers.

Read judgment ›

UN Special Rapporteur publishes report on human rights defenders fighting corruption

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, presented a report on human rights defenders fighting corruption to the UN Human Rights Council on 11 March 2022.

The Special Rapporteur stresses the importance of using a human rights-based approach to tackling corruption and of applying a human rights law-based framework to the activities of those fighting corruption, including anti-corruption human rights defenders, whistleblowers, journalists, judges and lawyers and other relevant actors. Her report also makes reference to GRECO's role in the fight against corruption.

Read report ›

GRECO holds its 90th plenary meeting

The decisions taken by GRECO at its 90th Plenary Meeting (21-25 March 2022) cover the adoption of a series of evaluation/compliance reports and much more.

See GRECO decisions ›


Latest reports adopted

- Greece: Evaluation Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Lithuania: Evaluation Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Belgium: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Croatia: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Denmark: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - France: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Netherlands: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Poland: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Slovak Republic: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Slovenia: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Spain: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Sweden: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - United Kingdom: Compliance Report (5th Evaluation Round) - Andorra: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Armenia: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Austria: Second Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Azerbaijan: Addendum to the Second Compliance report (4th Evaluation Round) - Belgium: Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Denmark: Second Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - France: Addendum to the Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Germany: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Lithuania: Addendum to the Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Luxembourg: Third Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Malta: Addendum to the Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Republic of Moldova: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Monaco: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Netherlands: Second Addendum to the Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Poland: Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Romania: Second Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Serbia: Second Interim Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Spain: Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Switzerland: Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Ukraine: Second Compliance Report (4th Evaluation Round) - Denmark: Addendum to the Second Compliance Report (3rd Evaluation Round) - Switzerland: Second Compliance Reports (3rd Evaluation Round) - Greece: Second Follow-up Report to the Ad hoc Report (Rule 34)

Next GRECO Plenary and Evaluation visits

GRECO will hold its 91st Plenary Meeting during the week of 13 June 2022. Evaluation and compliance reports concerning overall 13 Member States are to be examined and adopted.

Several evaluation visits of the 5th Evaluation Round are planned in the coming months:
- Bulgaria (30 May - 3 June 2022)
- Austria (20-24 June 2022)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (20-24 June 2022)
- Portugal (27 June - 1 July 2022)

See GRECO Calendar ›


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