European Union accession to GRECO

Reply to Written question | Doc. 14612 | 06 September 2018

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1322nd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (5 September 2018). 2018 - Fourth part-session

Reply to Written question

: Written question no. 732 (Doc. 14577)

1. The participation of the European Union in the work of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) was envisaged with the establishment of GRECO in 1999. In accordance with Article 5 of the Statute of the GRECO, the modalities of this participation must be agreed and, as the distinguished member of the Parliamentary Assembly has pointed out, the European Commission submitted in March 2011 a report to the Council of the European Union on these modalities of participation, which defined the main objectives of reinforced co-operation between the European Union and GRECO and analysed possible ways and benefits for the European Union’s participation in the work of GRECO.

2. The Committee of Ministers is convinced that such participation would contribute to strengthening the coordination of anti-corruption policies in Europe. In this regard, it welcomes the fact that GRECO's recommendations are already being duly taken into account by the European Union, in particular in the context of the European Union enlargement process, the European Union economic adjustment programmes and the co-operation and verification mechanism.

3. The Committee of Ministers regrets that significant progress has not been made since 2011 but notes that discussions are continuing between the Commission and the Council of the European Union. It also notes with satisfaction that the European Commission and the European Parliament have repeatedly reiterated their support for European Union participation in GRECO, which remains a long-term objective.

4. Finally, the Committee of Ministers underlines that GRECO stands ready to discuss with the European Union the modalities of its participation as soon as a request for participation has been formally addressed by the European Union to the Committee of Ministers, and to this end it encourages the Secretary General to pursue his contacts with the European Union.