Update on the EPAC/EACN Working Groups

The two Working Groups established by EPAC/EACN's General Assembly in Sofia, Bulgaria, last year have made progress on their respective tasks.

One Working Group, chaired by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), is called to look into the practical details of the possible adoption of a dedicated communication tool for EPAC/EACN within the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE). The chair of the Working Group has been working closely with the Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (in charge of a parallel S4ACA project), Europol, and the EPAC/EACN Secretariat in laying the foundations for the framework and structure of the EPAC/EACN communication tool within EPE.

The other Working Group, chaired by the Anti-Fraud Office of Catalonia, is preparing the contribution of EPAC/EACN for the upcoming EU Anti-Corruption Report. The Working Group held its first meeting in Brussels on 10 March, hosted by OLAF, and the second meeting is scheduled for 26 June. The contributions will focus on issues such as the prevention and punishment of corruption, transparency of financial transactions and whistleblowers.

Both chairs are currently preparing interim reports which they will present to the EPAC/EACN President meeting in Brussels at the end of June.