GRECO’s evaluations on the prevention of corruption among Members of Parliament ECPRD Seminar, Skopje, 8-9 May 2014 Sophie Meudal-Leenders, Administrator, GRECO Secretariat

GRECO 49 member states Objective: improve the capacity of its members to fight corruption by monitoring their compliance with Council of Europe anti- corruption standards through mutual evaluation and peer pressure.

Working Methods Thematic Evaluation Rounds Country visits by GRECO evaluation teams Evaluation reports containing recommendations Impact assessment procedure

4th Evaluation Round: prevention of corruption among MPs, judges and prosecutors Launched in January evaluation reports adopted: Albania, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, « the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia », UK 12 evaluations underway in 2014: Croatia, Norway, Germany, Ireland, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Malta, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia First impact assessment reports scheduled for December 2014

Prevention of corruption among MPs: scope of evaluation Codes of conduct Prevention and management of conflicts of interest Prohibition or restriction of certain activities Declarations of assets and interests Supervision and enforcement Training and awareness

Codes of ethics/conduct for MPs Few countries have them Reluctance by some countries to introduce such codes GRECO sees codes of conduct as a key element for developing MPs integrity and improving their public image

Conditions for a successful code of conduct developed,adopted and kept up to date by MPs themselves containing practical guidance easily accessible to the public accompanied by practical awareness and enforcement measures

Elements of a code of conduct: Conflicts of interest Few and narrow regulations GRECO called for the introduction of a requirement of ad hoc disclosure when a conflict between the private interests of an MP may emerge in relation to a matter under consideration in parliamentary proceedings

Other elements of a code of conduct Guidance on gifts Incompatibilities and accessory activities Lobbying of MPs Declaration of assets, income, liabilities and interests

MPs are subject to declaration duties in most states, but the content and scope of the declarations vary. GRECO recommended to include quantitative data and to consider extending the scope of declaration to spouses and dependent family members.

Supervision and enforcement Supervision is non-existent or inefficient in most countries GRECO recommended to a majority of countries to strengthen the mechanisms for supervision and enforcement of the rules of conduct applicable to MPs.

Thank you for your attention.