Council of Europe urges Italy to boost anti-corruption efforts

The Council of Europe (CoE) has urged Italy to intensify its fight against corruption and conflicts of interest, a report by its anti-corruption body GRECO, published on Wednesday (28 August), said.

In its report, GRECO called for stronger measures, mainly targeting high-ranking officials such as the prime minister, ministers, and law enforcement agencies.

While acknowledging Italy's "considerable legal framework" for combating corruption, it criticised the system as too "complicated" and, therefore, less effective.

“This is especially apparent in the regulation of conflicts of interest and financial disclosure, where different rules apply but do not cover all PTEFs (persons with top executive functions) adequately," the report notes.

One of the main criticisms raised is the lack of a single integrity framework for such top executive functions.

GRECO also stressed the need for a common code of conduct that would apply uniformly to all senior officials.

Another area of concern for GRECO is the rules on gifts, relations with lobbyists and post-employment activities, which the Council of Europe body says need to be tightened.

In particular, regarding sanctions for breaches, the report says the process is currently inadequate.

The report also expresses concern about the lack of gender diversity in leadership positions in Italy's main law enforcement agencies.

Although the State Police, the Carabinieri, and the Guardia di Finanza have systems in place to manage integrity risks, GRECO recommends additional measures, such as integrity checks during promotions and transfers and regular evaluations for the positions most vulnerable to corruption.

The Meloni government now faces the task of implementing GRECO’s 19 recommendations, which will be reviewed in 2026 as part of ongoing compliance monitoring.

Despite progress in recent years, Italy is still considered a high-risk country for corruption, particularly in the public sector.

This is reflected in Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks Italy 17th out of the 27 EU member states.

[Edited by Daniel Eck/Martina Monti]