20 June 2008 - Risk of corruption neglected in EIB's Statement on environmental and social standards
Answering to the consultation of the European Investment Bank (EIB), TI calls on the EIB to realistically review the impact corruption has on guaranteeing compliance with environmental and social principles. Currently, no reference is made to the risk of corruption in undermining compliance with these standards. As long as no mechanism is in place to take into account these risks, the EIB's environmental and social standards lose out considerably on effectiveness.
You can here download TI's contribution to the EIB consultation.

16 June 2008 - Weak management capacity at regional and local level as risk for corruption
Transparency International submitted a contribution to the EC consultation "For the preparation of a Commission communication on EU approach to democratic local governance, decentralisation and territorial development" issued by the EC's Directorate General for Development.
As regional and local control bodies and audit institutions are still in the process of building their capacities the risk for corruption at these levels continues to be high, cautions TI in its contribution.
Click here to download TI's contribution to this consultation.

15 April 2008 - TI calls for accountability in the EU's budget
In the framework of the EU Budget Review, Transparency International (TI) recommended that EU institutions and member states increase transparency and accountability. As part of its recommendations to the EU Budget review process, TI suggests that each member state should take over more responsibility for the funds spent within its territory, among other solutions. TI’s recommendations address three challenges: reducing complexity, addressing inherent risks, and overhauling management and control arrangements at EU level.
You can download TI's recommendations to the EU budget review.

19 February 2008 - Anti-Corruption Letter to upcoming French EU Presidency
Together with TI France and on behalf of the "EU Advocacy Working Group" (representing all TI national chapters in almost every EU Member State), the TI Brussels Office sent a letter to Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French State Secretary for European Affairs, highlighting TI's point of view in regard to several anti-corruption related issues. TI hopes that the upcoming French EU Presidency will address these priorities when they take over from Slovenia in the second half of 2008.
You can download TI's original letter in French. Alternatively, you can download an English translation.

14 February 2008 - TI calls for a stronger and enforceable lobbyist code of conduct
TI's EU Advocacy Working Group contributed to the European Commission Public Consultation on the proposed 'Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives'. TI's contribution, largely prepared by TI Germany, calls for an extensive revision of the proposed code of conduct, particularly in regard to a yet missing enforcement mechanism of the code.
You can download TI's complete contribution.

Brussels/Berlin, 3 October 2008: Transparency International (TI) welcomes the European Union’s (EU) new system for disclosing the beneficiaries of its funds launched today. Read more.

Brussels/Berlin, 23 July 2008: Transparency International (TI) expressed its deep concern over high-level corruption in Bulgaria, and supports the European Commission’ decision to freeze funds worth hundreds of millions of euros to the country. Read more.

Brussels/Berlin, 23 June 2008: Transparency International (TI) welcomes the establishment of the European Commission lobbyists' register but calls for the establishment of a mandatory inter-institutional register in 2009, as called for by the European Parliament in April 2008. Read more.

Brussels/Berlin, 7 May 2008: Transparency International (TI) demands the timely implementation of a robust and mandatory European Commission lobbyist register, as called for by the European Parliament constitutional affairs committee on 1 April 2008. Click here to read more.

Brussels/Berlin, 15 April 2008: As the European Union seeks for ways to improve how it spends its budget –currently at 129 billion euros- Transparency International (TI) today recommended that EU institutions and member states increase transparency and accountability. Click here to read more.

Brussels/Berlin, 27 June 2007: Accession is not the end of the line; Bulgaria and Romania need to ratchet up pace of reform, but older member states have deficits to answer for, too. Click here to read more.

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