May262022

The UMH and the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency carry out joint actions in the field of prevention and fight against fraud

Elche, may 25, 2022.- The rector of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche, Juan José Ruiz, and the director of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF), Joan Llinares, have signed a collaboration framework agreement. Through this agreement, both entities will develop joint actions in the field of prevention and fight against fraud.

On behalf of the UMH, the signing was also attended by the manager, Emma Benlloch, and the head of the Internal Control Service, Francisca Moya. For its part, representing the AVAF have been present the deputy director and Legal Affairs, Teresa Clemente, and the director of Prevention and Training, Víctor Almonacid.

Among the actions that will be carried out, the carrying out of outreach, training and research activities stand out; access to bibliographical and documentation collections; the use of premises and facilities for holding specific activities; or collaboration and assistance in the field of new technologies. This framework agreement also includes the possibility of signing specific agreements for carrying out internships for UMH students at the Valencian Agency itself, as well as training actions for University staff.

May252022

The Alicante Provincial Council and the Agency sign a collaboration protocol to prevent corruption and defend public integrity

Alicante. May 24, 2022.- The Alicante Provincial Council and the Agency have signed a collaboration protocol with which the development of joint projects begins. The document has been signed by the first vice president and deputy for the transparency area, Julia Parra, and the director of AVAF, Joan Llinares.

The first action to be implemented as a result of this protocol will be to set up an external complaints mailbox that could be operational within two months. Work has already begun on this new resource that will be accessible from the Diputación’s electronic headquarters and also through the Transparency Portal (https://abierta.diputacionalicante.es/).

This tool is mainly aimed at the strategic areas of hiring, subsidies and access to the public function, which includes different profiles such as contractors, applicants for public aid or participants in personnel selection processes. The channel complies with the new applicable regulations and will allow any third party, and also any employee, to file complaints with guarantees and while maintaining their anonymity, so that an impartial body can resolve their claim.

In a later phase, the Diputación’s Transparency area will implement the internal complaints channel, for which collaboration with AVAF will also be sought. This second initiative, which will be put into operation next year, is aimed at Provincial Council employees with the aim of implementing mechanisms to guarantee public integrity. It is also planned to develop other projects such as a code of ethics for the staff of the Provincial Council.

May122022

Meeting of the anti-corruption agencies and regional offices to claim their role as an external channel for complaints and protection of whistleblowers

Seville,  May 12,  2022.- The regional authorities against corruption of the Spanish State have met in Seville in a meeting organized by the Andalusian Office against Fraud and Corruption and that has taken place at the headquarters of the Andalusian institution, provisionally located in the Parliament of Andalusia.

The meeting brought together the heads of the authorities: Ricardo Vicente Puyol, director of the Andalusian Office against Fraud and Corruption;  Miguel Ángel Gimeno, director of the Anti-Fraud Office of Catalonia;  Joan Llinares, director of the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Fraud and Corruption of the Valencian Community; and Belén Méndez, acting director at  the Office for the Prevention and Fight Against Corruption in the Balearic Islands.

On the occasion of the draft law, which transposes into domestic law the European Directive  2019/1937 on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law, the meeting addressed the need for a regulatory anchor that reflects the role of protection of whistleblowers played by these independent authorities and that clearly recognizes them as an external channel for reporting.

The objective of this demand is that the functions they have been exercising, in accordance with their regulatory laws, are adequately endorsed in their field of competence in the aforementioned draft law. It has also been noted that the proposed text should not regress the rights already recognized.