Council of Europe : 19th conference of European ministers of justice : launching of anti-corruption offensive

Abstract

Malta was the host country in June 1994, when European Justice Ministers met for a two-day Conference in order to tackle the problem of corruption. Present for the Conference were Ministers from the 32-nation Council of Europe, along with their counterparts from Albania, Croatia, the Holy See, Latvia, Russia, the Ukraine and the U.S.A. The Conference aimed at the study of ways - civil, administrative and criminal law - which could contribute to the stamping out of corruption in Europe. During the Conference corruption was discussed in its widest sense and consequently as "extending to all fields of activity, both private and public, and to all persons invested with private or public functions who acquire an undue advantage linked to the exercise of such functions." Furthermore the Conference aimed at finding national and international response to the cross-border problems of corruption and to strengthen links between Europe, the USA and Canada. Opening addresses were made by the Malta Prime Minister, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, followed by the Acting Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Peter Leuprecht. Next the Conference went into closed sessions under the Chairmanship of Italian Minister of Justice Alfredo Biondi who assessed the situation in member- states. Dutch Minister Ernst Hirscke Ballin and Malta Minister Joseph Fenech acted as co-rapporteurs, both of whom presented separate reports. [excerpt]