In a new report published the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) notes that some progress has been made regarding members of parliament, such as oversight of senators’ operational expenses, the system for dealing with conflicts of interest and the two Houses’ regulations on receiving gifts, and the publication online of gifts and invitations declared by National Assembly members.
It calls on the authorities to continue making headway in this field, in particular as concerns oversight of Assembly members’ operational expenses and the publication online of the Assembly members’ and senators’ declarations of assets. GRECO finds it a matter of regret, however, that the progress noted in its previous reports regarding the judiciary has not been maintained. Several recommendations on the Judicial Service Commission (Conseil Supérieur de la Magistrature (CSM)) have still not been implemented or have been only partially so more than six years after the adoption of the first report on this issue in 2013. The recommendations call for disciplinary authority over judges to be concentrated in the hands of the CSM and for the appointment of and disciplinary regime for prosecutors to be brought into line with those applicable to judges.
In the light of these conclusions, the non-compliance procedure comes to an end and GRECO will therefore continue its regular monitoring procedure with regard to France, which is required to submit by September 2021 a report on the progress made in implementing the six (out of eleven) recommendations still pending.
Council of Europe
