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UK adopts anti-corruption strategy

The UK has adopted an anti-corruption strategy for 2017-2022.

It is based on 4 key principles (4Ps - Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare), which are already being used by the government as part of its efforts to combat terrorism, serious and organized crime and money laundering:

  • Protecting against corruption - fostering an open and flexible culture in public and private sector organizations;
  • preventing corruption - preventing citizens from engaging in misconduct, including by enhancing professional integrity;
  • prosecuting and punishing corruption - strengthening the role of law enforcement, criminal justice and oversight bodies to investigate, prosecute and hold offenders accountable;
  • minimizing the consequences of corruption, including compensation for losses incurred due to misconduct.

The adopted strategy identifies 6 priority areas on which anti-corruption efforts will be focused in the next five years:

  1. Reducing corruption risks arising within the state in high-risk sectors;
  2. strengthening the integrity policy of the country as an international financial center;
  3. introducing integrity principles in the public and private sectors;
  4. reducing corruption in public procurement and subsidy allocation;
  5. improving the business environment in general;
  6. international cooperation in the fight against corruption.

For each area, the strategy identifies the key objectives that the government plans to achieve and the main activities required for this purpose.

For example, under the first pillar, the government intends to reduce the likelihood of corruption in such areas as border control, prison and probation, law enforcement and defense. Activities under this pillar include, for example, the creation of mechanisms to protect whistleblowers in law enforcement agencies. Currently, this category of employees (along with some other categories of persons) remains unprotected from reprisals in Great Britain

Another goal within this area is to raise awareness of existing corruption risks, primarily in areas affecting the national interest of the country, and to provide advice on how to minimize them. For example, in 2017, the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure) has already launched a program "It's ok to say" ("It's ok to say"), which is designed to convey to organizations and their employees the importance of disclosure of information about violations observed in the course of their official duties.

The second direction of the strategy - increasing transparency of the country's activities as an international financial center - sets as its objectives:

  • increasing the openness of information on the beneficiaries of legal entities, including the creation of an open register containing such information on foreign companies (such a register already exists for British companies);
  • Strengthening the work of law enforcement, prosecution and criminal justice agencies to investigate economic crime, including, inter alia, using the powers they have been given as a result of the Criminal Finances Act, and developing the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Center to investigate grand corruption and recover assets;
  • Adopting additional efforts in combating money laundering and terrorist financing;
  • developing public-private partnership mechanisms and ensuring information exchange between law enforcement agencies and journalists.

The next pillar of the anti-corruption strategy envisages the introduction of integrity principles in the public and private sectors, including the intention to appoint Counter-Fraud and Corruption Professionals in each central government department and the inclusion of anti-corruption provisions in the anti-fraud functional requirements updated earlier this year. In addition, the Government is planning to develop a new anti-corruption strategy to address corruption in the public and private sectors.

In terms of combating corruption in public procurement, the Government plans, among other things, to conduct a corruption risk assessment in this area at the local government level, monitor the mandatory publication of information on procurement winners, utilize various big data opportunities in procurement and subsidies, provide methodological and advisory support to procurement participants, and other activities.

Work in the direction of improving the environment for doing business everywhere will be carried out through cooperation with other countries to increase transparency and minimize the effects of corruption in the areas of trade and investment, to introduce best practices in financing, including export financing, including the use of offshore zones and the application of international standards of due diligence procedures, to provide support, including advisory support, to British companies operating in high-risk foreign markets

International activities within the framework of the strategy include promoting transparency, primarily in the areas of beneficial ownership, extractive industries, public finance and contracting. Such activities are planned to be implemented, including through assistance to developing countries and fragile, conflict-prone states.

Tags
Corruption whistleblowers
Corruption in sport
Asset recovery
Corruption in public procurement
Anti-corruption policies and strategies
Transparency
International cooperation
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