Study on Corruption as an Obstacle to Economic Development in Enlargement Countries

PMCG, as part of an international consortium led by ICE EEIG is conducting an EU-funded project entitled “Study on Corruption as an Obstacle to Economic Development in Enlargement Countries.”

The main goal of this study is to provide the Directorate-General  Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) with a policy paper containing an analysis and overview of the main features of corruption, how it functions, and how it affects economic development in  enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kosovo). The paper will also draw up regional and country-specific policy and programming recommendations for DG NEAR’s future engagement in preventing and fighting against corruption in the EU’s enlargement policy, including anti-corruption actions and conditionalities in line with the international and European standards and the EU acquis.

Throughout the project’s implementation, the team of consultants is: mapping EU and other key funding institutions’ support in the enlargement countries; analyzing and summarizing existing recommendations and best practices in anti-corruption; conducting interviews with stakeholders; and organizing two coordination workshops for policy and operational coordination with EU Delegations/Offices and implementing partners involved in major EU bilateral and regional programs combating corruption and state capture in enlargement countries. The aims of the latter activity are to pilot operational coordination among existing and planned EU engagements, and to promote cross-endorsement of key recommendations, with the participation of EU staff and representatives of implementing partners.