Policy against corruption: instruments and recommendations

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Francesco RUTELLI (ELDR, Italy) on fighting corruption. (Please see the summary dated 04/11/03). The vote was adopted with 455 votes in favour, 12 against with 42 abstentions. Parliament also deplored the fact that the criminalisation of passive bribery of international public officials, illegal funding of political parties and effective monitoring of the Convention are not sufficiently covered by the draft UN Convention> It asked Member States, the candidate countries and the Commission to make clear statements at the conference organised for the signing of the UN Convention in MΘrida, allowing for the inclusion of these issues. Parliament went on to ask the Commission to prepare proposals for the introduction of rules and codes of good practice aimed at preventing and avoiding conflict of interest for public authorities whose activities are susceptible to private-sector interests (in such areas as media ownership, award of public concessions, etc), and to draw up guidelines on conflict of interest, along the lines of those set out by the OECD. On the question of preventing corruption, Member States must adopt stringent measures to punish the falsification of accounts, tax evasion and money laundering> Parliament felt that corruption can be prevented by ensuring proper transparency in decision-making procedures and efficient, effective and economically sound administration. Finally, Parliament asked the Commission to renew its efforts to continue the negotiations in the WTO with a view, notably, to concluding the agreements on transparency in customs procedures and in the rules on public contracts, as an instrument in the fight against corruption in international trade.�