Improving Anti-Corruption Policies and Practices in Romania

~ European Best Practices Transfer Conference & Training Session ~
Bucharest-Romania, 25-27 May 2017

~ ”Improving Anti-Corruption Policies and Practices
through an active civil society participation” ~

In Romania, according to the recent Cooperation and Verification Mechanism reports (European Commission) and of the Group of States against Corruption reports (GRECO – Council of Europe), there is a problem with the full compliance of the Romanian legal system regarding an accurate and transparent implementation of governmental and non-governmental projects, especially but not only supported by the EU funds. The Romanian civil society and the young generation feel concerned about the impact of high-level political and administrative corruption. This leads to the need that a deeper focus should be put on the techniques and dissemination of European good practices, mainly in the field of prevention of corruption and education of decision-makers, practitioners and representatives of interest-groups.

Especially in the context of democratic crisis in various Central European societies, this situation implies a strengthening of the awareness and knowledge process of the target-groups regarding the importance of prevention and of the closer co-operation with more advanced European partners.

From the point of view of civil society, we plan to combine pro-active methods and activities aimed to support an improvement of the legal/practical framework of the prevention of corruption, through:

evaluate, explain and communicate the current stage of the process resulting form main international and European reports and studies;
to better understand, compare and implement European best practices in the prevention of corruption;
through suggestions, recommendations and legislative proposals to contribute to an increasing of institutional transparency at all public, business and NGO levels;
on the basis of such best practices, to train and make more aware the representatives of the target-groups.

Our initiative is to be launched through an European Conference, hosted by the Senate of Romania with the kind support of its Vicepresident, Mr. Senator Remus Mihai GOTIU, followed by an Integrity and Awareness Raising Training Session.

The event aims to stimulate a needed exchange of views between the main decision-makers in the field of justice, and also to contribute to the adoption of proposals and recommendations to be forwarded to the European Commission and Parliament, the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Romanian Parliament and Government for supporting the compliance between the practices and standards in the field of rule of law and the full respect of human rights with the other European and USA counterparts.

REGISTRATION – Enrollment Form

At the European Conference, we will invite as guests and speakers the representatives of other EUNET organisations, as well as from:

OLAF – European Commission
GRECO – Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe
European Commission
European Parliament
Senate of Romania
Romanian Ministry of Justice – Coordinator of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy
National Anti-Corruption Directorate
Fight against Fraud Department
Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative
National Agency for Integrity
OECD National Contact Point – Romania
Department for Foreign Investment and Public Private Partnership – Romanian Government
Superior Council of Magistracy
National Institute of Magistracy
Romanian Court of Audit
UK Embassy in Bucharest
Freedom House Foundation
Centre for Legal Resources
Centre for Advanced Research in Management and Applied Ethics

The Training Session is addressed to practitioners in the field of law, experts, civil servants and militants in the anti-corruption field. The aim is to develop awareness on improving knowledge on ethical codes and its related advantages for creating an ethical climate and implementing common European anti-corruption standards.

The main topics are:

How to guide public managers and central/local public administrations to ensure integrity in their institutions
How to support an effective integrity for public officials and targeted towards other related “risk groups”
How to plan and conduct education and awareness raising activities for various business and civil society concerned organisations

The proposals from guests and participants will be disseminated on the website: www.HouseofEurope.ro. Also, we plan to update the existing website of the “EU-Ro Clearing Funds”, developed by EUROLINK-House of Europe.

Project Partners (EUNET members):
Centre for Europe London (UK)
CERNE – Casa da Europa da Madeira (P)

~ Detailed Programme ~

Day 1 – 25 May 2017
Integrity and Awareness Raising Training Session

9.30 – 10.00 Registration of participants – max. 25 participants.
Welcome Networking Session

10.00 – 11.30 Topic 1 – How to guide public managers and central/local public administrations to ensure integrity in their institutions
Presentations, debates and simulation games

11.30 – 13.00 Topic 2 – How to support an effective integrity for public officials and targeted towards other related “risk groups”
Presentations, debates and simulation games

13.00 – 14.00 Networking Cocktail

14.00 – 15.30 Topic 3 – How to plan and conduct education and awareness raising activities for various business and civil society concerned organisations
Presentations, debates and simulation games

15.30-16.00 Awarding of Participation Diplomas

Day 2 – 26 May 2017
European Conference

9.30 – 10.00 Registration of participants.
Welcome Networking Session

10.00 – 10.45 Official Opening
Introductory messages and key notes special guests & speakers (provisional list):

European Parliament – MEP Monica MACOVEI
Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative – Head of Secretariat Vladan JOKSIMOVIC
Senate of Romania – Vicepresident Mihai GOȚIU
National Agency for Integrity – Secretary General Silviu POPA
Romanian Court of Audit – Vicepresident Verginia VEDINAȘ
Freedom House Romania, Executive Director Cristina GUSETH
Transparency International Romania, Honorary Member Adrian BABOI STROE
Centre for Advanced Research in Management and Applied Ethics – Cristian DUCU

10.45 – 12.30
Workshop 1: The need to adapt, improve and harmonize Romanian anti-corruption fight in accordance with best EU standards and requirements
Presentations followed by questions and answers

12.30 – 13.30 Networking Cocktail

13.30 – 15.30
Workshop 2: Ways to improve the institutional convergence and dialogue with the civil society in order to better fulfill European/international obligations in relation with OLAF, CEDO, GRECO.
Presentations followed by questions and answers

15.30 – 16.30
Suggestions, proposals and recommendations from guests and participants
Concluding remarks.

16.30 – 17.00
Awarding Ceremony – Diplomas of Excellence for most active and efficient Romanian institutions, organisations and personalities involved in the prevention and combat of corruption.

Day 3 – 27 May 2017
Guided Documentary Tour of Bucharest

Optional program for foreign guests

Invited Lecturers, Trainers and Speakers:
Duncan HAME – Policy Director Transparency International UK (t.b.c.)
Av. João Henrique GONÇALVES – Casa da Europa da Madeira;
Richard WASSELL – EUNET;
Monica MACOVEI – Member of the European Parliament
Adrian BABOI STROE – former State Secretary-Ministry of Justice/Honorary Member Transparency International
Silviu POPA – National Agency for Integrity;
Cristina GUSETH – Executive Director, Freedom House Foundation
Codru VRABIE- Consultant – ”Integrity Action” London;
Radu NICOLAE – Centre for Legal Resources
Cristian DUCU – Centre for Advanced Research in Management and Applied Ethics.
Dumitru BADRAGAN – Lawyer
Ana Maria MUNTEANU – Lawyer
Sever AVRAM – Executive President, EUROLINK -House of Europe

REGISTRATION – Enrollment Form

Deadline: 4 May 2017

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