Collaboration with the European Union

The prevention of and fight against high-level and complex corruption are key to building resilient states and societies. The OECD's OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACN), the European Union and Open Government Partnership (OGP) have joined forces to advance the anti-corruption and integrity reform agenda in EU Eastern Partnership countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine). 

2024-2026 - Phase 2 (current programme)

Following on from the Phase 1 programme, the second phase of the EU's collaboration with the OECD will continue to use innovative methodologies and tools to tackle anti-corruption issues, through peer pressure and by exchanging experiences, to ensure a strategic, integrated and sustained approach towards tackling corruption, particularly at higher levels.

Building on Phase 1, the objectives for 2024-26 are to help Eastern Partnership countries:

• strengthen the implementation of anti-corruption reforms
• reinforce law enforcement responses to high-level and complex corruption
• boost business integrity actions.

This will be done through regional dialogue, enhanced monitoring with engagement from civil society, and in-depth analysis and sharing experiences on law enforcement and business integrity issues.

In supporting the above three objectives, the ACN has held the following events in 2024: 

• OECD Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Plenary Meeting 2024 - 16-19 September 2024
• The 14th Meeting of the ACN Law Enforcement Network - 23-25 October 2024
• OECD Business Integrity Group Meeting: The Government’s Role in Promoting and Ensuring Business Integrity - 25-26 November 2024

2021-2023 - Phase 1

The EU for Integrity programme helped put into place innovative methodologies and tools for the OECD’s engagement with EU Eastern Partnership countries on anti-corruption issues, through peer pressure and by exchanging experiences. It was jointly implemented by the OECD/ACN and the Open Government Partnership.

The implementation of the EU for Integrity allowed the OECD 's ACN to put in place innovative methodologies and tools for enhanced engagement with EaP countries on key anti-corruption matters. This contributed to increasing their exposure to the European and international standards, and good practices, through peer pressure and experience exchange. 

Specifically, a novel methodology for anti-corruption monitoring based on performance indicators was developed, piloted and adopted as a regular peer pressure tool under the IAP fifth round of monitoring. The methodology for the Matrix on High Level Corruption Cases was also approved as an important mechanism for a policy dialogue, experience sharing and, eventually, for international co-operation, as well as soft peer pressure within the LEN (law enforcement network). Additionally, the Business Integrity Group (BIG) was launched, reinvigorating discussion on corruption in business operations and placing business integrity on the EaP governments’ agendas. Business integrity surveys fed into a regional study identifying common trends, challenges and good practices providing inspiration for further action. 

Notes:

The EU Eastern Partnership countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Georgia opted out of the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan's fifth round of monitoring and overall its participation to the programme has been limited in recent years. 

The participation of Belarus and Russia in OECD bodies was suspended in 2022, following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.