Strong EU representation at the UN Convention against Corruption Conference of States Parties 2023

From 11 to 15 December, the EU participated in the 10th Conference of the States Parties of the UN Convention against Corruption, in the presence of a record number of delegates and civil society representatives. This is the first time that all NGOs applying to participate in the Conference were invited, following a vote overriding objections and introducing greater civil society participation.

The EU was represented by various departments of the European Commission, delivering on the commitments made in the Communication on the fight against Corruption, adopted in May 2023. The Conference of the States Parties also featured a record number of side events, four of which were co-sponsored by the European Commission: on synergies between review mechanisms; corruption and sport; youth education; and whistle-blower protection. In particular, the high-level side event “Strengthening synergies and cooperation amongst international organizations,” organised by the Commission, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Group of States against Corruption, and the OECD, was one of the main outcomes of the commitments made by the Commission in the first meeting of the EU Network against Corruption, in September 2023.

The Commission pledged to help reduce the administrative burden for the countries participating in the review mechanisms of their anti-corruption schemes, notably by boosting cooperation and the exchange of information between the international organisations carrying out the reviews. The side-event also benefitted from high-level panellists from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Union, the Organization of American States and the League of Arab States. All participating organisations agreed on the need to launch an Anti-corruption Partnership Forum to better coordinate activities, evaluations, and common efforts. The EU will take the lead in organising the first forum before the summer.