EXTERNAL REPORT ON PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION: IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRITY PLANS

The EU Commission has intensified its dialogue on the rule of law with candidate and potential candidate countries. In the reports on these countries, the fight against corruption has been highlighted. The aim of the dialogue on the rule of law is to strengthen benchmarking aimed at enhanced transparency at earlier stages of the accession process as well as building capacities and establishing effective tools in fighting corruption in respective countries.

One of the most important measures in the process of integration of candidate and potential candidate countries into the EU is the prevention of corruption. In order to improve cooperation, coordination and information sharing, this event aimed to increase understanding of the major causes of this phenomenon, share experience and best practices in the region, bring together practitioners and experts from specialized anti-corruption authorities and provide a platform to discuss the current status and challenges in the development and implementation of integrity plans, as well as regulations on lobbying.

Purpose

The purpose of the workshop which took place on 04-6 June 2013 in Podgorica was to bring together practitioners from specialized anticorruption authorities and other relevant state institutions in order to share best practices and discuss the common issue of concern - implementation of integrity plans.

The objectives were:

• To outline the EU anti-corruption policy;
• To explore the legal framework in the SEE regarding integrity and lobbying;
• To promote integrity and implementation of corruption risk analysis and integrity plans in public administration;
• To examine integrity plans in anticorruption strategies and policies;
• Control and supervision of lobbying in the SEE countries: current status and challenges;
• To share anti-corruption policies and strategies among EU candidate and potential candidate countries;
• To promote, facilitate and support international cooperation on the prevention of and fight against corruption in the region.

The Workshop gathered 56 participants – decision-making officials and experts dealing with the activity subject matter and representing national institutions, ministries and anti-corruption authorities.

Financial and Organizational support was provided by the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and the Ministry of Justice/Directorate for Anti-Corruption Initiative, as well as the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX) of the European Commission.

The last Panel was entitled “Legal Frameworks of Lobbying and Raising the Level of Integrity of Institutions” and the panellists included Mr Christian Daniel de Fouloy, Chairman of the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the EU and Mr Kostadin Pušara, President of the Association of Lobbyists in Montenegro. Mr Daniel de Fouloy outlined the Ways of Implementing Clean Lobbying Practices. His recommendations were:

1. Recognizing the shared responsibility of both public officials and lobbyists;
2. Levelling the playing field to engage stakeholders in public policies;
3. Making information on lobbying activities publicly accessible to allow scrutiny; and
4. Setting up effective mechanisms of implementation and compliance.