UN Convention against Corruption to be opened for signature

The UN Convention against Corruption was adopted by the General Assembly on 31 October 2003. It will be opened for signature at a high-level conference in Mérida, Mexico, on 9-11 December 2003, where the Norwegian delegation will be headed by State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Justice Jan Holme. The convention regulates new areas and goes further on certain points than existing agreements.

The convention includes a number of provisions concerning measures to prevent corruption, such as criteria for public procurement, rules for recruitment and hiring of civil servants and transparency in the public administration. Measures in the private sector include a duty for banks to report any suspicious transactions. States will be required to criminalise a number of acts carried out by public officials, including active and passive bribery, i.e. those who offer and those who accept bribes.

The convention also contains provisions on investigation and international co-operation, as well as on the return of assets obtained by means of corruption. Moreover, it includes a number of practical provisions designed to prevent, detect and deter international transfers of illicitly acquired assets and money-laundering.

The convention will enter into force three months after it has been ratified by 30 countries. Norway aims to be among the first countries to sign the convention.