The Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO) has called on European governments, parliaments and judicial governing bodies to step up their efforts to create more effective preventive mechanisms against corruption.
In its annual report, published today, GRECO provides a review of its 49 member states action against corruption in 2016, and points out that countries too often over-rely on the repressive aspects of fighting corruption and underestimate the effectiveness of preventive mechanisms, which often do not exist or are too weak.
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “Corruption is a major source of dissatisfaction and loss of trust in politics and democratic institutions. It is crucial that states have the right legislation and resources not only to investigate and punish corruption offences, but also to prevent them. There can be no tolerance for corruption, wherever it occurs.”
