MORE PROGRESS EXPECTED ON UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION

Ad Hoc Committee for Negotiation of Convention

Against Corruption Holds Third Session in Vienna, 30 September–11 October

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 27 September (UN Information Service) -– Agreement on parts of the text of the draft United Nations Convention against Corruption is anticipated when negotiations resume in Vienna on Monday, 30 September.  The third session of the Ad Hoc Committee will start the second reading of the draft text of the Convention.

In the second reading of the draft convention, the Ad Hoc Committee will examine issues such as the prevention of corruption, criminalization and key definitions, including those of corruption itself and public officials.

One of the key aspects which will be considered at the third session is corruption within the private sector.  The issue poses significant challenges both in properly delineating the conduct that causes concern and needs to be addressed and regulated, and in ensuring the clear articulation of that concept in legal text, without unduly restricting legitimate trade and business.

When addressing the issue of prevention, the Ad Hoc Committee will discuss what standards would be set and what detailed measures Member States would be called upon to implement.

Progress so far has been encouraging with high levels of commitment to the convention and participation in the negotiations from Member States.  At the second session of the Ad Hoc Committee held in Vienna from 17 to 28 June, the first reading of the draft text was completed, covering issues such as sanctions, confiscation, international cooperation, asset recovery, technical assistance

and preventing the transfer of funds of illicit origin.  The first session of the Ad Hoc Committee was held in Vienna at the beginning of the year (21 January-

1 February).

The next session of the Ad Hoc Committee will be held in Vienna in January 2003, where the second reading of the remaining text of the draft convention will be concluded, including sections on asset recovery.

The Ad Hoc Committee is expected to conclude the drafting of the convention by the end of 2003 before it goes to the United Nations General Assembly for approval.  In April 2002, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, at its eleventh session in Vienna, accepted the offer made by the Government of Mexico to host a high-level political conference for the purpose of signing the United Nations Convention against Corruption.  The General Assembly is expected to endorse this proposal at its current session in New York.

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