TI Position

• The fostering of anti-corruption reforms needs to be a cornerstone in the EU’s approach towards the ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy) countries.
• ENP Action Plans – agreed between ENP countries and EU – currently lack concrete time tables and fail to identify resources needed to implement the agreed upon measures. The lack of specific objectives in such action plans make it especially difficult to monitor and compare the plans over time.
• The EU’s policy towards the ENP region needs to include measures to strengthen civil society in these countries.
• Progress towards implemented anti-corruption standards needs to be monitored by independent bodies and civil society included in permanent monitoring mechanisms based on objective criteria.

Issues

• Preparation of the ENP strategy papers and the negotiations of the Action Plans are conducted in an intergovernmental setting, with insufficient civil society participation. Such approach is likely to undermine local ownership of anti-corruption efforts and reforms and limit the development of local accountability, where citizens should hold their governments accountable.

Reference Documents

• May 2011:Joint Communication on A new response to a changing Neighbourhood
• March 2011: Joint Communication on A Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the Southern Neighbourhood
• Feb 2011: European Court of Auditors Special Report No.13: Is the new European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument successfully launched and achieving results In the southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia)?
• Action Plans and Country Reports for ENP Countries
• Progress reports for ENP Countries

Press Releases

• 4 May 2011:South Caucasus must do more in the fight against corruption. New reports show Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia have made little progress in the past year in adopting or implementing anti-corruption reforms.
• 6 May 2010: South Caucasus must face up to anti-corruption challenge. New reports show Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia need to strengthen governance.

Written Contributions/ Consultations

• March 2011: Assessment Paper on Stolen Assets and EU action in the context of Libya
• Sept 2010:Memorandum: Concerns and Recommendations on European Neighbourhood Policy.
• Corruption and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) - U4 answer to query; published in March 2008. Download.

Work of TI national chapters in the Neighbourhood

• TI Georgia:2011 National Integrity Systems assessment for Georgia.
• TI Georgia: Monitoring of ENP Action Plan. Read more on the website of TI Georgia.
• TI Armenia: Monitoring of ENP Action Plan. Read more on the website of TI Armenia.
• TI Azerbaijan: Monitoring of ENP Action Plan. Read more on the website of TI Azerbaijan.