The Council of Europe has called on Italy to step up its fight against corruption and conflicts of interest, the council's anti-corruption agency GRECO said in a report published on Wednesday (August 28).
In its report, GRECO called for stronger measures, particularly targeting senior officials such as prime ministers and ministers, and law enforcement agencies.
While acknowledging Italy's “substantial legal framework” in fighting corruption, the commission criticised the system as being too “complex” and therefore ineffective.
“This is particularly evident in conflict of interest and financial disclosure regulations, where different rules apply but are not fully applied to all PTEFs (chief executive officers),” the report said.
One of the main criticisms raised is the lack of a single integrity framework for such CEO functions.
GRECO also stressed the need for a common code of conduct that would be uniformly applied to all senior officials.
Another concern for GRECO are rules on gifts, relationships with lobbyists and post-retirement activities, which the European Council says need to be tightened.
In particular, when it comes to sanctions for violations, the report said the process is currently inadequate.
The report also expressed concern about the lack of gender diversity in leadership positions in Italy's main law enforcement agencies.
The National Police, Carabinieri and Financial Guard have systems in place to manage integrity risks, but GRECO recommends additional measures such as integrity checks during promotions and transfers, and regular evaluations of positions most vulnerable to corruption.
The Meloni administration now faces the challenge of implementing GRECO's 19 recommendations, which are due to be reviewed in 2026 as part of ongoing compliance monitoring.
Despite recent progress, Italy is still considered a country with a high risk of corruption, especially in the public sector.
This is reflected in Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, which places Italy 17th out of 27 EU member states.
(Editing by Daniel Ek/Martina Monti)
