IP/06/59
20 January 2006
Joint Transparency International-OLAF Policy Roundtable on blacklisting : Protecting EU Financial Interests through Management of Effective and Transparent Debarment Systems Transparency International Brussels and the Commission/European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF), organize jointly on the 23rd and 24th of January a policy roundtable on blacklisting. The seminar explores ways to protect EU financial interests through debarment systems. Debarment systems could exclude companies having committed fraud in the past from receiving EU funds and contracts in the future. This seminar brings together about 40 experts from various EU institutions, international organizations, Member States and the private sector. It intends to exchange best practices and views on installing an EU-wide debarment system to enhance the protection of the EU’s financial interests. This system could list and exchange information on beneficiaries who because of fraud, corruption or serious misconduct are excluded from receiving EU monies. Such a system could further increase the transparency and accountability in distributing EU funds.
On Monday, 23rd of January, the seminar will be opened at 10:00 by Vice-President Siim Kallas, commissioner in charge of anti-fraud, and Miklos Marschall, European Director of Transparency international.
The morning session will focus on general features of effective and transparent debarment systems, and present practical experiences of administration and development of debarment systems at national, European and international levels. The afternoon will provide in-depth analysis of procedural guarantees and the requirements to ensure such a system would be fully compatible with the European legal framework. It would also look at types of sanctions, as well as information input schemes. The participants of the seminar will focus on Tuesday 24th January on information exchange procedures within the EU and with other authorities of the Member States and international organizations and draw recommendations and suggestions of action that could be introduced at European level. More information is available on the transparency international website:
http://www.transparency.org/global_priorities/public_contracting/projects_public_contracting
The opening speech of Vice-president Siim Kallas will be issued on Monday morning per espresso. The seminar will be followed by a press release to summarize the conclusions and possible action points for the future.
