Back Italy must improve the effectiveness of its system to promote integrity and prevent corruption in the government and the law enforcement authorities

Italy must improve the effectiveness of its system to promote integrity and prevent corruption in the government and the law enforcement authorities

The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), in a report published today, calls for determined measures to prevent corruption in Italy in respect of persons with top executive functions (PTEFs), including the President of the Council of Ministers, ministers, undersecretaries of state, extraordinary and special commissioners, members of the offices of direct collaboration, as well as members of the State Police, the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza.

In its evaluation report, GRECO notes that Italy has a sizeable legal framework dealing with the prevention and the fight against corruption, but that it is complicated to navigate, to the detriment of its efficiency. This is especially apparent in the regulation of conflicts of interest and financial disclosure, where different rules apply but do not cover all PTEFs adequately.

GRECO notes that there is no common integrity framework applicable to all PTEFs. A systemic analysis of integrity risks and a specific code of conduct should apply to all, complemented by proper guidance, dedicated awareness-raising and confidential counselling on ethical issues. In particular, rules and guidance on gifts, advantages and invitations, on contacts with lobbyists and on post-employment need to be strengthened. It is also important to ensure that all violations of applicable rules attract proper sanctions, which is not the case at present.

Turning to the State Police, the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza, GRECO is concerned about the low representation of women, especially at managerial levels. All three forces have a robust system in place for the prevention and management of integrity risks. It could, however, be improved by introducing integrity checks in the context of transfers and promotions, as well as at regular intervals for the most exposed functions. The State Police does not have a dedicated code of conduct and the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza need to complement their ethical rules by more practical guidance; all three forces also should introduce mechanisms for confidential counselling on integrity matters. Finally, dedicated awareness-raising activities should be organised for all staff on a regular basis on whistleblower protection measures.

The implementation of the 19 recommendations addressed to Italy will be assessed by GRECO in 2026 through its compliance procedure.

* unofficial translation, as provided by the authorities of Italy

Strasbourg 28/08/2024
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Ever since antiquity, corruption has been one of the most widespread and insidious of social evils. When it involves public officials and elected representatives, it is inimical to the administration of public affairs. Since the end of the 19th century, it has also been seen as a major threat in the private sphere, undermining the trust and confidence which are necessary for the maintenance and development of sustainable economic and social relations. It is estimated that hundreds of billions of Euros are paid in bribes every year. (more)

A word from the President of GRECO

Welcome to this window on GRECO’s world!
I invite you to use it to look into the work we do with our 48 member States. We use the dynamics of collective expertise and peer pressure to accomplish action by individual governments that will build durable barriers against corruption and bring to justice those who misuse their position for personal gain to the detriment of society as a whole.

Whether inspired by GRECO’s work, that of others with an anti-corruption agenda or our own experiences and principles, each one of us has a role to play in changing the mind-set to zero tolerance of corruption.

Members of GRECO Bureau

The composition of GRECO's Bureau is the following: António DELICADO (Portugal), Vita HABJAN BARBORIČ (Slovenia), David MEYER (United Kingdom), President Marin MRČELA (Croatia), Vice-President Monika OLSSON (Sweden), Olivier GONIN (Switzerland) and Panagiota VATIKALOU (Greece).

 BEWARE OF SCAMS

It has been brought to our attention that the name of GRECO is being used for fraudulent purposes. These scams may appear to use letterhead with the GRECO logo, or contain the signatures of actual or fictitious senior GRECO officials, aiming to give the appearance of a legitimate GRECO correspondence.  Sometimes they may include legitimate website addresses to give a veneer of credibility to the scam.

Typically, the solicitations asked potential victims to provide personal information such as signatures or bank account information, and to pay certain advance fees, often described as "processing fees." In return, the potential victim was promised sums of money that the person soliciting the "fees" had no intention of paying. In some cases, those seeking the funds used the names of actual GRECO staff members to sign the letters in order to bolster their credibility.

GRECO, the Council of Europe's anti-corruption body, monitors the way in which its member countries implement the Council of Europe conventions and other instruments at national level. GRECO does not contact members of the public directly by email, telephone, Whatsapp or any other means about specific financial transactions or personal information.

We caution the public to be very wary of these and other similar solicitations that falsely claim to be affiliated with the GRECO. If you have received such a communication, we advise you to immediately terminate that contact.  If you have already paid them money, please contact your local law enforcement without delay.