From two conferences, one in Stockholm, Sweden, and one in Cambridge, UK, came a number of recommendations. This led to the formation of a defence team, funding from the UK government, and later funding from the Swedish government. There are four main activities that TI (UK) is pursuing:

Working with defence companies to encourage the development of an industry consortium against corruption in international tenders. Major defence companies are engaging with us on this issue, and their national governments are supportive of these developments. The US initiative is led by the US Aerospace Industries Association, and the European initiative is led by the Aerospace & Defence Industries Association of Europe. It is hoped that there may be an announcement on this matter at this year’s Farnborough Air Show.

We have also run seminars separately with Swedish and UK defence industry, in conjunction with their national governments. A press release following the seminar with UK industry from The UK government DESO (Defence Export Services Organisation) can be viewed here.

Trialling the use of a procurement anti-corruption tool, Defence Integrity Pacts, in major defence tenders. The Integrity Pact is an anti-corruption procurement tool that has been used extensively in Latin America and with considerable success, but which until recently has been little used in defence contracts. Integrity Pacts are enforceable anti-bribery pledges overseen by an empowered independent monitor. DIPs lend added credibility to the procurement process through enhanced transparency and accountability. We have been involved through the local TI Chapter in one major defence tender in Colombia and are currently engaged in a second in Latvia. We are also in discussion with other national chapters such as Zambia and Poland.

Other TI Chapters are engaged in defence reform activities. TI India has been closely involved in implementation of Integrity Pacts on Indian defence procurements. This is a positive first step from which lessons will be learned, and it is hoped that the use of independent monitors will soon become widespread. The new Indian Defence Procurement Manual can be viewed here. Transparency International India’s news on their Integrity Pact efforts can be viewed here. In Korea, there has been extensive engagement between TI Korea and the Korean Ministry of Defence on the use of Integrity Pacts for regular defence procurement.

See Colombian Defence Integrity Pact for an account of the Colombian national chapter experience of implementing a Defence Integrity Pact on the procurement of drug interdiction aircraft. The Colombian Ministry of Defence has been actively engaged with the national TI Chapter, Transparencia por Colombia, in making their procurement processes more transparent.

Working to improve anti-corruption capability in defence ministries and in their procurement practices. There is an appetite to develop good practices in this area. TI(UK)’s current focus is in defence procurement, where we are working both with Integrity Pacts and with countries on other useful tools, such as independent reviews of defence procurement practices and civil society oversight. See TI(UK)’s document on Reducing Corruption in the Defence and Security Sector.

Working to strengthen laws and international instruments against bribery in defence. We have been engaged in discussions on the EU Code of Conduct on arms export controls, and have participated in the UK Consultation over the anti-bribery requirements for the Export Credit Guarantee Department, where new anti-corruption requirements were initially relaxed at the request of defence companies. TI(UK)’s submission on the guidelines as they stand can be found here.

In addition to the above, we are engaging the World Bank and other multilateral lenders to discuss ways to influence government defence reform, and national Export Control organisations to discuss ways to strengthen anti-corruption measures in arms exports.

Finally, we are working with NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme to create a NATO Policy on Corruption.