Dec162020

The European Network of Integrity Authorities and Alerters (NEIWA) warns that there is only one year left for the transposition of the European Directive for the protection of persons who report corruption

Valencia, December 16, 2020.- The European Network of Integrity Authorities and Alerters (NEIWA) has approved the Brussels Declaration after the meetings held electronically on December 3 and 4, which should have been held in this European city as planned but this has been impossible due to the pandemic situation.

In this new Declaration, the Network focuses on the fact that this November 17, 2020 marks one year of the entry into force of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 23 of 2019, on the protection of people who report infringements of Union law, better known as the Whistleblowers Directive.

This Directive has a period of two years for its transposition into the legal systems of each country and in this first year the Neiwa Network has verified that while there are States that carry out the work well advanced, there are others that are in the preliminary stage of the process. transposition.

This is the case of Spain, since at the moment none of the legislative proposals presented in the Congress of Deputies by the parliamentary groups have been successful, and although the Ministry of Justice announced in June of this year the designation of a group of work for the drafting of a proposal, as contained in the IV Open Government Plan of Spain 2020-2024, the calendar of procedures for the approval of the Draft Law will not conclude before December 31, 2021, and this without counting the subsequent processing in the Congress of Deputies.

Faced with this situation, the NEIWA Network has approved the Brussels Declaration with a set of recommendations addressed to governments, administrations and interested parties in the implementation of the Directive, such as urging “urgently to initiate or accelerate the transposition process to comply with the deadline established on December 17, 2021 ”.

Likewise, the Network recommends that the States take advantage of the opportunity to build a comprehensive complaints system throughout the national territory, in which the internal complaint channels and the independent external competent authorities function in accordance with their respective territorial or material competencies, and coordinate with each other to ensure effective and consistent mechanisms in the fight against corruption.

The NEIWA Network currently represents 21 Member States and was created in May 2019 to provide a platform for cooperation and exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of integrity and whistleblowing. In the case of Spain, there is no national authority that can be part of NEIWA as long as Directive (EU) 2019/1937 is not transposed. However, two competent authorities at the territorial level, the Catalonia Anti-Fraud Office and the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency, are present at its meetings as full members.

Editable note in ODT format
Editable note in DOC format
Brussels Declaration
Rome Declaration

Dec142020

Seasonal University in Llíria

On December 11, Llíria, capital of the Camp de Túria region, hosted the third edition of the Seasonal University at the Multi-purpose Center of the town. Organized by the University of Valencia, this program is presented and sponsored by the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency.

The Seasonal University of Llíria, which is part of the area of ​​‘Historical and Cultural Heritage’, addressed under the title ‘Music as an interdisciplinary educational instrument’, the educational possibilities of music in schools and secondary schools. A theme followed with enthusiasm in the so-called “Ciutat de la Música”.

On this occasion, the conference was presented by Silvia Vèrnia, Director of the AVAF Training and Prevention Area, and was also attended by the Mayor of Llíria, Manuel Civera, along with representatives of the University of Valencia.

The Seasonal University provides an open space for debate and knowledge transfer. An initiative that is consolidated year after year and that shows the interest of citizens to approach the musical art from the multiple perspectives that it offers.

Dec132020

The Valencian Antifraud Agency held the 3rd edition of the course on “Integrity and prevention in public procurement in the Valencian Community” in collaboration with the IVAP

The Valencian Antifraud Agency held on November 17, 19, 24 and 26, 2020 the 3rd edition of the course on “Integrity and prevention in public procurement in the Valencian Community” in collaboration with the Valencian Institute of Public Administration (IVAP)

The course lasted 20 hours and 22 public employees with functions in the field of public procurement of the Generalitat Valenciana participated in it. The objective of the course is to offer specialized training in prevention and integrity to reduce the risks of corruption in public procurement.

The inauguration held on the 17th was led by the deputy director of the IVAP, Maria Gracia Mateu, and the director of the AVAF, Joan Llinares. Then the Director of Legal Affairs of the Agency, Teresa Clemente, explained the structure and functions of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency.

On the 19th day, the Director of Prevention, Training and Documentation, Sílvia Vèrnia, referred to the regulatory framework on prevention and integrity in public procurement after having previously screened the documentary “Corruption: harmful agent. Four years later”.

In the November 24 session, the head of the AVAF prevention service, Irene Bravo, addressed integrity in the management of public procurement from the before, during and after the contract. For his part, Miguel Andrés Furió, head of the analysis and investigation service, showed practical examples of malpractice in public contracting.

On the last day, the Professor of Criminal Law at the University of the Basque Country, Norberto Javier de la Mata, offered a vision of the different criminal behaviors in relation to public procurement.

This course is included in the 2020 Training Plan that IVAP offers to public employees at the service of the Generalitat Valenciana and in this year’s edition it has been carried out through the IVAP virtual platform.