Strengthening Implementation of Anti-Corruption Standards in Europe

This award will support efforts in at two or three of five target countries (select among: Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Armenia, and Montenegro) to identify priority substantive anti-corruption measures and assist in implementation of related reform actions. The substantive measures will be determined in reference to the countries' commitments in the context of relevant international standards, and to the recommendations of the peer review bodies associated with those standards. Several anti-corruption mechanisms and fora promote action on these standards by facilitating peer reviews, resulting in recommendations for reform, or by generating country commitments. Exemplar mechanisms and fora include UNCAC and GRECO (primary) and the Anti-Bribery Convention, Istanbul Action Plan, Open Government Partnership, and related policy (secondary). Each of the target countries has engaged in at least one of these entities and has received recommendations or made commitments to address corruption in various ways. INL intends for this project to initiate a multi-stakeholder process in each country selected for this project to prioritize two to three peer review body recommendations addressed to – or political commitments made by -- the country. The project should then support the development of action plans and targeted follow-up action (i.e. technical assistance, advocacy, and coordination) to help governments implement the action plans. Suggested focus areas in which to develop priorities, action plans, and follow-up measures could include judicial integrity/independence, criminalizing and enforcing foreign bribery, transparency of party funding and electoral campaigns, law enforcement reforms, and public procurement fraud and corruption. Supporting action in these areas would aid the criminal justice sector and civil society in making tangible steps to adopt laws, policies, or procedures that either prevent or combat corruption.