The Ukrainian Lobbyists Association supports Ukraine’s accession to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials
The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association welcomes the invitation of the Working Group on Bribery of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to Ukraine to join the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and become a full member of the relevant Working Group.
This decision is a recognition of the state’s commitment to raising the standards of transparency, responsibility and integrity in the interaction between business, civil society and government.
“For us, as a professional community of lobbyists, the request of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is an important signal: the state is clearly choosing a course to raise the standards of transparency, responsibility and integrity in the interaction between business, civil society and government,” said Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association.
Reforms and international standards
According to the UNLA, the combination of anti-corruption and lobbying reforms creates a unique opportunity for the development of professional ethics and lobbying behavior standards in Ukraine that will meet the requirements of international partners and legislation.
Such changes will help create a new lobbying system that will become not only a tool for representing interests, but also a guarantor of fair participation in the state-building process. This will strengthen the confidence of investors and international partners in Ukraine.
“We believe that these changes should be transformed from a formal approach into an effective practical tool. The UNLA is ready to facilitate training, code development, consultations and monitoring. This is a chance for Ukraine to increase its competitiveness and prove that we are able to act in accordance with the best international practices,” emphasized Oleksiy Shevchuk.
Call to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association welcomes Ukraine’s potential accession to the OECD Convention and calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to sign the accession as soon as possible.
The EBA reaffirms its readiness to support the Ministry in the process of consultations, information support and implementation of best practices of transparent interaction between business, government and society.
For reference:
The OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions is a key international instrument aimed at combating corruption in global trade. It establishes legal obligations for member states to criminalize bribery of foreign officials and ensure effective investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.
Ukraine’s accession to the Convention will be an important step in strengthening its international authority, facilitating integration into OECD standards and confirming the state’s determination to fight corruption at all levels.
