STRASBOURG, 14 November 2019 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Fighting Corruption Irene Charalambides (Cyprus) has been in Paris and Strasbourg this week to strengthen co-operation with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Council of Europe in the fight against corruption.

Special Representative Irene Charalambides (right) meeting with GRECO Executive Secretary Gianluca Esposito in Strasbourg, 13 Nov. 2019In meetings on 12-13 November with OECD officials and representatives of Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), Charalambides has enhanced OSCE PA ties with key international actors fighting corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.

Charalambides and her interlocutors have discussed how to reinforce each other’s multidisciplinary approaches to fighting corruption, including preventing bribery of public officials, promoting public sector integrity, and improving corporate governance. She has also explored emerging trends in this field to inform the future work of the OSCE PA.

“There is a pervasive link between corruption and other serious crimes, such as money-laundering and terrorism,” Charalambides said. “Considering its implications for security, the international community must prioritize the fight against corruption. Parliamentarians, through our legislative powers and oversight functions, are crucial to the implementation of international obligations on this issue. We also have an important role to play in developing new standards, implementing international norms and sensitizing public opinion.”

OECD Deputy Secretary General Jeffrey Schlagenhauf and OSCE PA Special Representative Irene Charalambides in Paris, 12 November 2019In Paris, Special Representative Charalambides met with OECD Deputy Secretary General Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, Deputy Director of the Directorate for Enterprise and Financial Affairs Mathilde Mesnard and Deputy Head of the Public Sector Integrity Julio Bacio Terracino.

In Strasbourg, Charalambides met with Executive Secretaries of GRECO and MONEYVAL Gianluca Esposito and Matthias Kloth, Deputy Executive Secretary Bjorn Janson, and Senior Legal Advisor Gerald Dunn.

Charalambides commended GRECO and MONEYVAL for being key standard-setting organizations in combating corruption, and for placing the prevention of corruption high on the political agendas of Council of Europe Member States for 20 years.

Finally, Charalambides met with the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to discuss integrity frameworks for parliaments.

Charalambides was appointed Special Representative on Fighting Corruption in July 2019. For more on her work, please visit her web page.