The European Commission, in partnership with Transparency International, is piloting the use of Integrity Pacts in projects co-funded by European Commission Structural and Cohesion Funds.

The TI Integrity Pacts (IP) - Civil Control Mechanism for Safeguarding EU Funds, Phase 2 Project  is applying Integrity Pacts to 18 public procurement projects in 11 EU countries involving 15 different civil society monitors.

The project’s general objective is to “explore and promote the use of Integrity Pacts for safeguarding EU funds against fraud and corruption, and as a tool to increase transparency and accountability, enhance trust in authorities and government contracting, contribute to a good reputation of contracting authorities, bring cost savings and improve competition through better procurement.”

The specific objectives are to:

• Ensure integrity and accountability
• Ensure transparency and access to information
• Draw lessons from this pilot for future replication and mainstreaming of Integrity Pacts

The driver behind this project is that an estimated €120 billion are lost each year due to corruption in European countries, with a large part of this in procurement.

The initial preparatory phase took place in 2015 to secure the participation of national authorities and civil society organisations in different EU Member States, and to identify potential projects for Integrity Pact implementation.

The Civil Society Organisation monitors were selected in a competitive open call organised by the donor, DG Regio. The Transparency International Secretariat convenes the Annual Stakeholder Meeting.

The monitors work with:

• Managing authorities who own the projects to be monitored
• Contracting authorities implementing the projects to be monitored
• Bidders/contractors (wining or participating in bidding)
• Local communities impacted by the projects (especially through social accountability activities)

As part of their work, they:

• establish working relationships with contracting authorities, bidders and affected communities;
• sign Integrity Pacts with contracting authorities as well as bidders (when possible);
• develop activities with affected communities to enhance their interest in public procurement and their capacities to monitor such projects;
• conduct monitoring of tender and contract documents as well as the implementation of the projects;
• engage in advocacy towards bidders and contracting authorities to promote best practice;
• engage in active communication of findings towards public and media.

The project has also developed a monitoring mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of the Integrity Pacts in enhancing transparency and accountability.

Additional information

• Main public authority: European Commission
• Monitors: TI-Czech Republic, TI-Bulgaria, TI-Romania, Romanian Academic Society, Institute for Public Policy, TI-Slovenia, TI-Italy, Action Aid (Italy), Amapola, TI-Latvia, TI-Lithuania, TI-Greece, TI-Portugal, TI-Hungary, Stefan Batory Foundation
• Language: Varies per country
• Start year: 2016 (following phase 1 in 2015)
• End year: 2021