Convention on the fight against corruption involving Community and Member State officials

Parliament adopted the report without debate by Mr Luis MARINHO (PSE, P) concerning the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of Member States of the European Union. Parliament resolutely supported the underlying objective of the draft Council Act, namely to take more effective action against corruption in the European Union by incorporating general minimum standards of criminal law in the legal systems of the Member States and by fostering international cooperation. It approved the Council's draft subject to the following amendments: - extended definition of 'Community Official', together with a list of the bodies in question (European Investment Bank, European Central Bank System, European Monetary Institute, European Investment Fund, etc.); - greater account to be taken of active corruption; - introduction of a category of offence for passive and active corruption which is organized or repeated or committed on a large scale with more serious legal consequences; - inclusion of the Ombudsman in the list of decision-makers; - extension of the 'Ne bis in idem' principle to the case where, although a sentence has been imposed, the sentence has been suspended on probation; - inclusion of the competence of the Court of Justice of the European Communities for requests for preliminary decisions whereby as a general principle the Member States not involved in the case and the Commission are granted the right to make observations; - introduction of monitoring of transposition three years after the signing of the Convention. �