Evidence Based action against corruption: the European National Integrity Systems Project

Evidence Based action against corruption: the European National Integrity Systems Project

The National Integrity System (NIS) assessment approach provides a framework to analyse both the extent and causes of corruption in a given country as well as the effectiveness of national anti-corruption efforts. The research exercise focuses on a two-fold investigation of the key public institutions and other relevant actors of a country's governance system.  The first is an evaluation of the formal framework and legal position of each institution. The second is a review of what actually happens in practice, highlighting discrepancies between the formal provisions and reality on the ground. This in-depth investigation of the relevant governance institutions is embedded in a concise context analysis of the overall political, social, and economic conditions in which these governance institutions operate.  This analysis is undertaken via a consultative approach, involving the key anti-corruption agents in government, civil society, the business community and other relevant sectors with a view to building momentum, political will and civic pressure for relevant reform initiatives. The assessment makes use of the NIS concept, which has been developed and promoted by TI as part of its holistic approach to countering corruption. The NIS consists of the principle institutions and actors that contribute to integrity, transparency and accountability in a society. The project assesses systematically and comparatively 25 European countries. The field research began in 2010 and it will last for 2 years. The project was developed in partnership with TIAC - Transparência e Integridade, Associação Cívica, TI's national contact point (www.transparencia.pt) and INTELI, a Portuguese Think Tank on public policies (http://www.inteli.pt/en)

 

Estatuto: 
Proponent entity
Financed: 
No
Entidades: 
TI-S
Keywords: 

National Integrity Systems;

Anti-Corruption;

Institutional performance; 

Ethics

The National Integrity System (NIS) assessment approach provides a framework to analyse both the extent and causes of corruption in a given country as well as the effectiveness of national anti-corruption efforts. The research exercise focuses on a two-fold investigation of the key public institutions and other relevant actors of a country's governance system.  The first is an evaluation of the formal framework and legal position of each institution. The second is a review of what actually happens in practice, highlighting discrepancies between the formal provisions and reality on the ground. This in-depth investigation of the relevant governance institutions is embedded in a concise context analysis of the overall political, social, and economic conditions in which these governance institutions operate.  This analysis is undertaken via a consultative approach, involving the key anti-corruption agents in government, civil society, the business community and other relevant sectors with a view to building momentum, political will and civic pressure for relevant reform initiatives. The assessment makes use of the NIS concept, which has been developed and promoted by TI as part of its holistic approach to countering corruption. The NIS consists of the principle institutions and actors that contribute to integrity, transparency and accountability in a society. The project assesses systematically and comparatively 25 European countries. The field research began in 2010 and it will last for 2 years. The project was developed in partnership with TIAC - Transparência e Integridade, Associação Cívica, TI's national contact point (www.transparencia.pt) and INTELI, a Portuguese Think Tank on public policies (http://www.inteli.pt/en)

 

Objectivos: 
The project aims to: <p>1. Compare the nature of ostensibly similar integrity-related institutions in different jurisdictions;</p><p>2. Identify the ways in which the elements of the NIS interrelate, as well as any gaps or overlaps between those elements;</p><p>3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the present Portuguese integrity system and recommend improvements;</p><p>4. Provide a benchmark for comparison between jurisdictions and against which changes in the effectiveness of the integrity system can be measured;</p><p>5. Provide a basis for action by relevant Portuguese governmental and non-governmental agencies and organisations, including Transparency International; and</p><p>6. Provide a case study for other countries, both developed and developing.</p>
State of the art: 
<p>The National Integrity System as a Greek Temple</p><p>Before moving to substantive assessment of Australia's national integrity systems, it is important to review several key conceptual issues which underpin the way any &lsquo;integrity system' is described, and on which the logic of the assessment therefore rests.</p><p>A familiar starting-point for the concept of the National Integrity System articulated by Transparency International (TI) since the mid-1990s is TI's graphical metaphor of an ancient &lsquo;Greek temple' (Figure 1). This metaphor clearly captures the types of institutions commonly found in an integrity system (its &lsquo;pillars'), but also how different elements of an integrity system interact in terms of &lsquo;horizontal' or mutual accountability. As Pope (2000:36) describes, &lsquo;the pillars are interdependent but may be of differing strengths. If one pillar weakens, an increased load is thrown onto one or more of the others. If several pillars weaken, their load will ultimately tilt... crash to the ground and the whole edifice collapse into chaos.'</p>
Parceria: 
Unintegrated
Coordenador Geral 
Paul Zoubkov (Transparency International)
Coordenador ICS 
Referência externa 
PROJ2/2012
Start Date: 
01/10/2010
End Date: 
01/12/2012
Duração: 
26 meses
Closed