Civil Society Europe (CSE) ’s Post

Tuvalu starts process for freedom of information legislation https://lnkd.in/gvmtGM7x The Tuvalu government is trying to bolster anti-corruption measures through a 'Right to Information' framework

EC formulates serious shortcomings for Hungary in the rule of law report #bne #bneEditorsPicks #Hungary #EU The EC formulates serious shortcomings for Hungary in the rule of law report. Hungary has made some progress on the European Commission’s recommendations made in last year's rule of law report, but there are still serious shortcomings. Therefore it has ruled that Budapest cannot access the remaining frozen EU funds, financial website Portfolio.hu writes. Last year, the EC made a string of recommendations, from enhancing the transparency of the judicial system to prosecuting corruption and reforming lobbying practices and campaign financing. The report acknowledges the ongoing judicial reforms, which were one of the preconditionsfor releasing a tranche of the frozen funds.

Rule of Law Report - First Time Western Balkan Included 🌍📜 The new Rule of Law Report of the European Commission covers 4 Western Balkan countries for the first time. 📊🌟 I had a quick read to see the impact on Public Administration Reform in Serbia 🇷🇸Albania 🇧🇦North Macedonia 🇲🇰Montenegro. Key Findings and Recommendations: Improve Transparency 🪟: Ensure that all public administration processes, including recruitment, promotion, and procurement, are transparent and based on merit. Strengthen Accountability 📋: Develop robust accountability mechanisms to monitor the performance of public servants and administrative bodies. Enhance Efficiency ⚙️: Streamline administrative processes to reduce bureaucracy and improve service delivery. Reduce Political Interference 🚫: Establish clear legal and institutional safeguards to protect public administration from undue political influence. Focus on Anti-Corruption 🛡️: Foster comprehensive anti-corruption laws that meet international standards and ensure their rigorous enforcement. Provide adequate resources, independence, and authority to anti-corruption bodies to effectively investigate and prosecute corruption cases. Ensure Media Freedom 🗞️: Enforce the Regulatory Authorities and establish and further develop legal safeguards to protect the independence of media outlets from political and economic pressures. Capacity Building 📚: Invest in the training and development of public servants to enhance their skills and competencies. Key evaluation criteria: - Independence and Efficiency of the Judiciary ⚖️ - Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Measures 🕵️♂️ - Freedom and Pluralism of the Media 📺📰 - Robustness of Institutional Checks and Balances 🏛️ Here is the full report: [Rule of Law Report 2024](https://lnkd.in/dbhwG8iw) 📄.

A step in the right direction! The adequacy of the legislation should also be reviewed.

Why should the EU join the International Treaty on Exchange of Data for the Verification of Asset Declarations? Check out the UNCAC Coalition #blog by Dr. Tilman Hoppe and Dr. Felix Lüth. 🔍 Asset declaration systems are powerful tools against corruption, but their effectiveness hinges on verification. With the Treaty, countries can exchange data to verify asset declarations of public officials across borders. 🤝 Joining the Treaty would significantly enhance anti-corruption efforts within the EU and its neighborhood. Find out why the EU's participation is crucial in strengthening global cooperation against corruption. 📜 Dive into the blog to explore the Treaty's framework, the EU's competence to join, and its alignment with data protection standards. Let's pave the way for more transparent governance and accountability! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dwvGavQB The International Treaty was developed under a regional project supported by the Austrian Development Agency. #Corruption #EU #DataExchange #AntiCorruption #RAISEE

🌍 Hong Kong Shines in 2024 Rule of Law Rankings! Proud moment for #HongKongSAR as it ranks 6th in East Asia & Pacific and 23rd globally in the 2024 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index! 🌐 Hong Kong remains among the most corruption-free regions, now ranking 10th worldwide for Absence of Corruption - thanks to strong anti-corruption efforts and partnerships with experts locally and internationally. ✅ Improved Regulatory Enforcement ✅ Strengthened Civil Justice ✅ Consistent Open Government While some scores saw minor changes, Hong Kong's commitment to a trusted legal system under "one country, two systems" stays unwavering. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eapPtB7J #RuleOfLaw #Justice #HongKong #GlobalRankings #CorruptionFree

The EU Directive (EU) 2024/1226 is now in effect, setting stricter penalties for violating trade regulations. Compared to the previous rules it provides clearer definitions, tougher penalties and a unified framework for all EU countries. Compliance deadline: May 2025. #TradeCompliance #EURegulation https://lnkd.in/dNegPu9C

The proposal for a European anti-corruption directive is moving towards its final stage. Now is the trialogue phase. In the context of the ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union, a trilogue is an informal inter-institutional negotiation bringing together representatives of the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission. After this phase, the proposal will arrive in plenary for final adoption. While waiting for the final text to be analysed, the initial proposal seems to be confirmed in its current version. Many rules confirm the content of the 2003 UNCAC Convention, although, other rules seem to go beyond the UNCAC text. How will national parliaments react to transposition?

Together with Moritz Pellmann, Xin Liu, Pauline Peng and Camillo von Haugwitz, we have taken a closer look at last week’s EU General Court order on the disclosure of email data stored in #China. Although this is only an interim relief order, it can be deduced from the reasons given by the General Court that it may become much more difficult and risky to rely on national laws to prevent the transfer of data to European authorities in the context of #investigations. Thus, it is worth taking a closer look at the decision and its implications for future investigations conducted by EU authorities: https://lnkd.in/eyP_AB2G