The EU’s Policing and Rule of Law Mission in Ramallah (EUPOL COPPS) submitted a report and a manual to the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on 9 September, which should support a strengthened framework for verifying the assets of Palestinian public officials and fighting corruption.

“A system where public officials have to declare their assets as well as their commercial interests on a regular basis is a very good way to ensure transparency and fight corruption,” said Giovanni Galzignato, Head of the Rule of Law Section at EUPOL COPPS.

An asset declaration system for Palestinian officials has been in place since 2003, and 60,000 – 70,000 declarations are submitted every year. The PACC is an independent agency with responsibility for investigating corruption, and in March 2019, the law was changed to provide it with significantly greater powers to systematically verify these declarations. This should have a decisive impact on the fight against corruption.

The report submitted by EUPOL COPPS to PACC provides concrete recommendations on how the system can be improved. It is accompanied by a manual, which provides a step-by-step guide to international best practices on how to analyse declarations.

EUPOL COPPS is the European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support. The aim of the Mission is to contribute to the establishment of sustainable and effective policing arrangements and to advise Palestinian counterparts on criminal justice and rule of law related aspects under Palestinian ownership.

Read More

Press Release

EUPOL COPPS