On 20–21 March, GRECO held in Strasbourg the Training Seminar for Evaluators under the Sixth Evaluation Round, focussing on preventing corruption and promoting integrity at the sub-national level. The training brought together 82 evaluators from 44 GRECO member States. The objective of the training was to deepen participants' understanding of their role in the evaluation process and to enhance their contribution to its successful implementation. The programme of the training addressed key topics relevant to the theme of the Sixth Evaluation Round, clarified evaluation methodologies, facilitated the exchange of practical experiences, and explored potential challenges. It featured four panel discussions and two mock evaluation exercises in groups designed to strengthen evaluators’ preparedness based on real-life situations.

In its Sixth Evaluation Round, initiated in 2025, GRECO aims to examine the structure of government at both national and sub-national levels, including the division of responsibilities and the role of national authorities in promoting integrity and combating corruption in local governance. More specifically, GRECO will assess the relevance and implementation of national anti-corruption strategies at the sub-national level and the results achieved in addressing corruption-related offences. It will also review the institutional framework of sub-national authorities, focusing on their anti-corruption and integrity measures, risk assessments, codes of conduct, ethics rules, and approaches to managing conflicts of interest. Special attention will be paid to transparency, access to information, public participation, oversight and accountability mechanisms, whistleblower protection, and the enforcement of relevant laws and sanctions.

Through this evaluation round, GRECO aims to reinforce integrity and transparency at the sub-national level and ensure that anti-corruption measures are effectively implemented across its member States. The presentations delivered by the speakers at the training are provided below.

Plenary sessions and presentations

Thursday, 20 March 2025

Welcome address, presentation of the training

• Livia Stoica Becht, GRECO Executive Secretary
• David Meyer, GRECO President

Session one: Focus of the Sixth Evaluation Round and Methodology for the Evaluation, lessons learnt from previous evaluation rounds

• Laura Sanz-Levia, GRECO Deputy Executive Secretary [presentation]
• Vita Habjan Barboric, Head of the Development and Prevention Centre Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, Slovenia [presentation]
• Luis Miguel Pinto De Sousa E Silva, Chief Inspector, General Inspection of Finance Audit Authority (IGF), Portugal [presentation]
• David Dolidze, GRECO Senior Legal Adviser [presentation]

Session two: Addressing and managing risk areas (risk mapping, particular risk areas at sub-national level, devising strategies and their follow-up)

• Giuseppe Abbatino, Expert, National Anti-Corruption Agency (ANAC), Italy [presentation]
• Yann Philippe, Head of Department, French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA), France [presentation]
• Gissur Erlingsson, Professor, Linkoping University, Sweden [presentation]
• Danela Arsovska, Major of Skopje, North Macedonia, Spokesperson on Ethics and Prevention of Corruption of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe [talking points]

Friday, 21 March 2025

Session three: Preventing corruption: building an ethical infrastructure, transparency and control mechanisms

• Vladimir Georgiev, former Commissioner, State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, North Macedonia [presentation]
• Ashley Cooks, Director of Government Ethics District of Columbia, United States of America [presentation]
• Joan-Antoni Llinares Gomez, Former Director of the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Fraud and Corruption of the Valencian Region, Spain [talking points]

Session four: Reporting corruption and assuring accountability for integrity breaches

• Anna Myers, Executive Director, Whistleblowing International Network (WIN) [presentation]
• Anca Jurma, Former Counsellor of the Chief prosecutor, National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Romania [presentation]
• Luis Macedo Pinto de Sousa, Professor, Lisbon University, Portugal [presentation]