As 2025 comes to an end, we reflect on a year shaped by strong cooperation and important progress within GRECO, made possible by the engagement of its members, evaluators, and observers.

Entering 2026, we do so with confidence, inspired by our shared commitment to advancing integrity, transparency, and good governance across our membership.

We wish you peaceful holidays and a New Year that brings renewed momentum, fresh perspectives, and continued collaboration.

To mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, held annually on 9 December, the President of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), David Meyer, has issued the following statement:

“Integrity in public life is not an accessory to democracy; it is its foundation. Determined and robust action to prevent and combat corruption, in all its forms and without exception, is essential to ensuring the resilience of democratic institutions and the trust that citizens place in them.

“Democracy requires a culture of integrity and accountability. The influence of individual political leaders in promoting this must not be underestimated. But for it to be the norm rather than the exception, ethical leadership by example must be coupled with effective integrity and anti-corruption systems, transparency, and independent oversight. This combination remains the cornerstone of democratic credibility and institutional legitimacy.

“Anchored in the New Democratic Pact for Europe, GRECO will continue to assist its member states in strengthening their legal and institutional frameworks to prevent and combat corruption, promoting ethical leadership, and reinforcing accountable institutions that uphold citizens’ trust and contribute to democratic security.

The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) held a dedicated side event on 20 November 2025 in Strasbourg, organised in cooperation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, to advance dialogue on integrity and accountability at the sub-national level.

The event brought together GRECO national delegates, Congress representatives, local and regional officials, international experts, civil society and youth delegates.

Discussions centred on operationalising integrity frameworks for municipalities and regions as GRECO moves into its 6th Evaluation Round. Building on insights from previous evaluation rounds and relevant international standards, participants examined topics including transparent decision-making, management of conflicts of interest, public procurement safeguards, asset and interest declarations, interactions with third parties and lobbying, whistleblower protection and access to information. They also considered how risk-based integrity strategies, ethics and training arrangements, as well as effective complaint-handling and oversight mechanisms can be tailored to local realities.

The event underscored the need for coordinated action across all levels of government and reinforced the value of sustained cooperation between GRECO, member States, the Congress and local stakeholders in strengthening corruption prevention closest to citizens.

More information available here. 

Whistleblowers play a crucial role in exposing corruption across the public and private sectors. 

This new publication outlines GRECO’s findings and approach to whistleblower protection within the context of its Fifth Evaluation Round, focused on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (persons with top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies. It covers three main areas: the legal framework for whistleblower protection; training, information and advice for potential whistleblowers; and systems for monitoring how well protections are working in practice. It also spotlights examples of good or promising practices from member states that could guide future reforms.

The publication provides a comparative cross-country review of its findings in three main areas: the regulatory regime, institutional framework and compliance with national laws. It did so on the basis of GRECO’s Fifth-Round evaluation reports, which focused on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments and law-enforcement agencies.

The paper also stresses the key role of journalists in exposing corruption and holding public authorities to account, while warning that the legal and political pressures they may face can restrict both their work and the public’s right to information.

Examples of good and promising practices across member states include appointing trained information officers, issuing clear guidelines, developing internal systems for handling requests, establishing independent oversight bodies, assisting individuals exercising their right to access information, and sanctions for non-compliance. 

At the same time, GRECO has identified various shortcomings and obstacles: delays in handling requests, insufficient proactive disclosure, overly broad legal restrictions, weak or absent oversight, limited data, and low public awareness of access rights. To address these issues, in its reports, it has recommended adopting access-to-information legislation, ensuring that proactive transparency is legally enshrined and effectively implemented, setting up or strengthening independent oversight mechanisms, and limiting restrictions and exemptions to what is strictly necessary.

5th Round: Preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies

Cyprus – Compliance Report

Denmark – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

France – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Germany – 2nd Compliance Report

Malta – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Iceland – 2nd Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Poland – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Portugal – Compliance Report

Romania – Compliance Report

Slovak Republic – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Spain – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

United Kingdom – Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

4th Round: Prevention of corruption in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors

Ireland – 2nd Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report

Liechtenstein – 2nd Compliance Report

Portugal – 4th Interim Compliance Report

Ad hoc Procedures (Rule 34)

Slovak Republic – Ad Hoc Report

Plenary Meetings

GRECO 101, 18-21 November 2025

Please find below, in chronological order, selected rulings delivered by the European Court of Human Rights that may be of particular interest to the GRECO community.

Selimi v. Albania (no. 37896/19, 25 November 2025) concerns the dismissal of a Supreme Court judge based on findings of vetting proceedings that assessed his contact with persons involved in organised crime. The applicant complained that he had not had a fair hearing in the vetting proceedings, in breach of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention (fair hearing). Breach of Article 6 § 1.

Ilievska and Zdraveva v. North Macedonia  (nos. 19689/21 and 42794/22, 13 November 2025) and Ribarev v. North Macedonia (no. 39987/22, 13 November 2025) concern the applicants’ inability under domestic law to appeal against the State Judicial Council’s (“SJC”) decisions dismissing them from their judicial post following the remittal of their cases by second-instance Appeal Panels. They complained under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention about a breach of their right of access to court. Breach of Article 6 § 1.

Tsatani v. Greece (no. 42514/16, 14 October 2025) concerns disciplinary proceedings against a prosecutor, leading to a sanction, brought by the Court of Cassation (CC) President, after she conducted the preliminary disciplinary investigation and examined the applicant’s recusal request against her. The applicant complained that she had not been heard by an impartial tribunal, in violation of Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, as the President of the Court of Cassation (hereinafter also “the CC”), who had been conducting the preliminary disciplinary investigation, had herself examined the recusal request submitted by the applicant against her and had subsequently brought disciplinary proceedings against the applicant. Breach of Article 6 § 1.

 Janković v. Slovenia (dec.) (no. 15118/22, 9 October 2025) concerns conclusions reached by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in a supervision-of-assets procedure involving the applicant, a well-known politician in Slovenia who has been elected as mayor of Ljubljana since 2012. The applicant complained under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention that he had been denied access to a court because the judicial review of those conclusions in his case had been limited in scope. Inadmissible.

Yakymchuk v. Ukraine (no. 26519/16, 11 September 2025) concerns covert audio and video recording of two incidents of a former judge in her office used as evidence in criminal proceedings to convict her of bribery. The applicant complained, amongst others, that the covert recording of her conversations held in her office was unlawful and disproportionate and interfered with her right to respect for private life protected by Article 8. Breach of Article 8.