Apr232024

The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency contributes its experience in the protection of whistleblowers at the University of Valencia

#LegalAVAF

Valencia. – April 22, 2024

The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency presented its work at the III Conference “Whistleblowing channels in the public and private sector: whistleblowing and whistleblowing protection. Criminal and procedural aspects” organized by the University Institute of Research in Criminology and Criminal Sciences of the University of Valencia.

Teresa Clemente García, deputy director and Legal Affairs of the AVAF, represented the institution with the conference: “The Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Fraud and Corruption of the Valencian Community. Prevention of fraud in the public sector, external reporting channel and protection of whistleblowers.”

The conference took place in the Tomás S. Vives Antón room of the Faculty of Law of the Universitat de València, with José León Alapont, professor of Criminal Law at the University of València, as their director.

The university community attended a conference that brought together around 80 people around issues related to internal information systems and the protection of informants.

Apr222024

33 anti-corruption authorities from 24 European countries agree on the Valencia Declaration

València, 19 April 2024.- The work carried out by NEIWA during the two days of the meeting concluded with the approval of the Valencia Declaration, which highlighted the importance of defending whistleblowing, as it is one of the best mechanisms in the fight against corruption.

The Declaration also condemns any form of suppression or limitation of the independence and efficiency of integrity and whistleblowing authorities, or similar entities engaged in the fight against corruption.

NEIWA members highlighted the importance of strengthening the work and coordination of all actors involved in the field of whistleblowing and the fight against corruption such as police, prosecutors, judiciary, etc., including civil society, as their contribution is essential for the establishment of a culture of integrity.

In addition to the Valencia Declaration, the results of several working groups set up within the Network have been presented at this 9th Assembly, such as the group dedicated to analysing the complaints received, or the group in charge of studying, analysing and proposing measures to support people who report on corruption.

The Director-General for Justice of the European Commission, Paul Hafellner, was invited to this meeting and made a presentation on the status of the transposition of the European Directive on the protection of whistleblowers of corruption.

The members of the Network approved a modification of the statutes and the rules of procedure and organization of the Network in order to improve its functioning and operability, as well as the integration of new members such as the Federal Institute for Human Rights (Belgium); the Georgia Anti-Corruption Bureau; the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers (Luxembourg) and the Ombudsman of Walloni (Belgium).

Valencia Declaration

The NEIWA network was established following the approval by the European Union of Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers of corruption and it is a platform for cooperation and exchange of knowledge and experiences in the area of integrity and protection of whistleblowers.

Currently, 33 anti-corruption authorities from 24 European countries are part of the network and are as follows:

BELGIUM

Federal Ombudsman

Office of the Ombudsman of the Brussels-Capital Region

Service of the Ombudsman of the German-speaking Community of Belgium

Ombudsman of the Flemish Community

BULGARIA

Anti-Corruption Commission

CROATIA

Office of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Croatia

CZECH REPUBLIC

Ministry of Justice

DENMARK

The National Whistleblowing Scheme within the Danish Data Protection Agency

ESTONIA

Ministry of Justice, Department of Penal Policy

FINLAND

Ombudsman

FRANCE

Défenseur des droits

GERMANY

Federal Office of Justice

GREECE

National Transparency Authority

HUNGARY

Office of the Hungarian Commissioner for Fundamental Rights

ICELAND

Prime Minister’s Office

IRELAND

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission

Office of the Commissioner of Protected Disclosures

ITALY

Italian Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC)

LATVIA

The State Chancellery (Whistleblower Contact Point)

LITHUANIA

Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania

MONTENEGRO

Anti-Corruption Agency

PORTUGAL

National Anti-Corruption Mechanism (MENAC)

ROMANIA

Ministry of Justice

National Integrity Agency (ANI)

SLOVAKIA

Office of Whistleblower Protection

SLOVENIA

Commission for the Prevention of Corruption

SPAIN

Ministry of Justice

Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF)

Catalan Anti-Fraud Office (OAC)

Andalusian Office Against Fraud and Corruption (OAAF)

SWEDEN

The Swedish Working Environment Authority

NETHERLANDS

Dutch Whistleblowing Authority

Apr172024

#DocuforumAVAF returns to the classrooms of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University

#AVAFTraining

Alfara del Patriarca. – April 16, 2024

The students of the Administrative Law subject in the Law and Political Sciences degrees at the UCH CEU have participated in the #DocuforumAVAF activity of the Training Service of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency.

The more than 50 students watched “Corruption: harmful organism” from Pandora Box and expressed their doubts and questions about the reality shown by the documentary in relation to the fraud and corruption that exists in some public administrations.

The training technician, Pilar Moreno, visited the UCH CEU last Tuesday, April 16, with the aim of presenting the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency to young university students and its most notable functions.

The means and controls developed by the administration to avoid cases of fraud and corruption, as well as the consequences generated in the public sector itself were some of the doubts raised by the students.

The management of conflicts of interest, along with the role played by transparency regulations and the way in which society and the economy are affected by corruption, were also issues in which youth showed interest.

Tools such as the AVAF reporting channel and the protection offered to corruption whistleblowers highlighted the work carried out by the Agency.

The presence of the AVAF at the CEU Cardenal Herrera was possible thanks to the collaboration of Professor Elena Juaristi, university professor of the subject of Administrative Law.

The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency, with this activity, once again expresses its commitment to the education of the leaders of tomorrow who are present today in the university classrooms of the Valencian Community.

If you are a university, high school or 4th year ESO teacher in the Valencian Community and are interested in having the #DocuforumAVAF training activity carried out in your classroom, do not hesitate to contact the Training Service of the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency through formacion@antifraucv.es