The Council of Europe project on “Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs in the Russian Federation from Corrupt Practices at the Municipal Level” – PRECOP II held the second training on risk-based approach to inspections for representatives of business associations and small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on 13-14 November 2019 in Stavropol, Russian Federation. The activity brought together over 35 participants: representatives of the business community, representatives of the Federal and Regional Business Ombudspersons’ offices from the project’s seven pilot regions as well as representatives of regional and municipal inspection authorities, including the Prosecutor’s office, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and other relevant authorities of the Stavropol Krai.
The training aimed to enhance the capacities of business associations and SMEs to comply with new Russian legislation regulating inspections and effectively cooperate with inspection authorities on introduction and application of the risk-based approach to inspections in line with applicable international standards and good practices.
The Council of Europe experts made presentations, moderated group work and facilitated discussions on practical exercises and case studies, which allowed the participants to learn about the latest developments in the field of inspections at international and national levels with a special focus on risk-based approach. The training also helped the participants to explore efficient measures of corruption prevention based on the best international and Russian practices, exchange experiences and practices on mitigation of corruption risks and improvement of business performance via compliance promotion.