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.

Agenda

• April/May 2009: Consultations on Mid-Term Review of ENPI (European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument) Programming Documents

• 24 April 2009:Progress reports for ENP countries published by the European Commission.

Written Contributions/ Consultations

• Corruption and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) - U4 answer to query; published in March 2008. Download.

Projects

• 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.