Corruption poses a continuous threat to the essence and core values of societies and institutions. It undermines justice and the equal treatment of citizens and endangers good governance and the stability of democratic institutions. The fight against corruption is carried out through the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) which assists member states in this area.

GRECO takes a multidisciplinary approach. It monitors observance of the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption legal texts, including the Twenty Guiding Principles for the Fight against Corruption, the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and its additional protocol, the Civil Law Convention on Corruption and the recommendation on common rules against corruption in the funding of political parties and electoral campaigns, along with other legal texts on whistle-blowers, access to official documents and lobbying.

GRECO’s monitoring combines a dynamic process of mutual evaluation and peer pressure, resulting in country specific evaluation reports which include a detailed analysis and tailor-made recommendations drawn up following an on-site visit and adopted by the GRECO plenary. Measures taken to implement these recommendations are subsequently assessed by GRECO under a separate follow-up procedure (“compliance procedure”). A high profile is maintained in external relations to secure additional support, coordination and synergy, notably with the United Nations, the OECD, OSCE/ODHIR, and the European Union.

Many NGOs play a role in the fight against corruption. A list of those working with the Council of Europe is available.