2008/801/EC: Council Decision of 25 September 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the United Nations Convention against Corruption

Published date29 October 2008
Subject Matterrelazioni esterne,relaciones exteriores,relations extérieures
Official Gazette PublicationGazzetta ufficiale dell’Unione europea, L 287, 29 ottobre 2008,Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea, L 287, 29 de octubre de 2008,Journal officiel de l’Union européenne, L 287, 29 octobre 2008
L_2008287ES.01000101.xml
29.10.2008 ES Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea L 287/1

DECISIÓN DEL CONSEJO

de 25 de septiembre de 2008

sobre la celebración, en nombre de la Comunidad Europea, de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción

(2008/…/CE)

EL CONSEJO DE LA UNIÓN EUROPEA,

Visto el Tratado constitutivo de la Comunidad Europea y, en particular, su artículo 47, apartado 2, su artículo 57, apartado 2, su artículo 95, su artículo 107, apartado 5, su artículo 179, su artículo 181 A, su artículo 190, apartado 5, su artículo 195, apartado 4, su artículo 199, su artículo 207, apartado 3, su artículo 218, apartado 2, y sus artículos 279, 280 y 283, en relación con el artículo 300, apartado 2, párrafo primero, y el artículo 300, apartado 3, párrafo primero, del mismo Tratado,

Vista la propuesta de la Comisión,

Visto el dictamen del Parlamento Europeo (1),

Considerando lo siguiente:

(1) Tras haber sido autorizada por el Consejo, la Comisión ha negociado, en nombre de la Comunidad, los elementos de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción (en adelante, «la Convención») que son de competencia comunitaria.
(2) El Consejo ha autorizado a la Comisión para negociar la adhesión de la Comunidad a la Convención en cuestión.
(3) Las negociaciones llegaron a buen término y el instrumento resultante fue firmado, en nombre de la Comunidad, el 15 de septiembre de 2005, a reserva de su posible celebración en una fecha posterior, de conformidad con la Decisión del Consejo de 10 de mayo de 2005 relativa a la firma, en nombre de la Comunidad Europea, de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción.
(4) Algunos Estados miembros son Partes de la Convención, mientras que otros Estados miembros están en proceso de ratificación.
(5) Se han cumplido las condiciones para que la Comunidad deposite el instrumento de aprobación previsto en el artículo 67, apartado 3, de la Convención.
(6) La Convención debe ser aprobada para que la Comunidad se convierta en Parte de la misma, dentro de los límites de su competencia.
(7) Al depositar el instrumento de aprobación, la Comunidad debe depositar también una declaración sobre el alcance de la competencia de la Comunidad Europea con respecto a las cuestiones regidas por la Convención, con arreglo al artículo 67, apartado 3, de esta.
(8) Al depositar el instrumento de aprobación, la Comunidad debe depositar también una declaración sobre la solución de controversias, con arreglo al artículo 66, apartado 2, de la Convención.

DECIDE:

Artículo 1

Queda aprobada, en nombre de la Comunidad, la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción.

El texto de la Convención figura en el anexo I.

Artículo 2

Se autoriza al Presidente del Consejo para que designe a la persona o personas facultadas para depositar el instrumento comunitario de confirmación formal, a fin de obligar a la Comunidad. El instrumento de confirmación formal incluirá la declaración de competencia prevista en el artículo 67, apartado 3, de la Convención, tal como figura en el anexo II de la presente Decisión. También incluirá la declaración que figura en el anexo III de la presente Decisión.

Hecho en Bruselas, el 25 de septiembre de 2008.

Por el Consejo

El Presidente

B. HORTEFEUX


(1) Dictamen de 14 de noviembre de 2006 (no publicado aún en el Diario Oficial).


ANEXO I

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION

PREAMBLE

THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION,

CONCERNED about the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardising sustainable development and the rule of law,

CONCERNED ALSO about the links between corruption and other forms of crime, in particular organised crime and economic crime, including money-laundering,

CONCERNED FURTHER about cases of corruption that involve vast quantities of assets, which may constitute a substantial proportion of the resources of States, and that threaten the political stability and sustainable development of those States,

CONVINCED that corruption is no longer a local matter but a transnational phenomenon that affects all societies and economies, making international cooperation to prevent and control it essential,

CONVINCED ALSO that a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach is required to prevent and combat corruption effectively,

CONVINCED FURTHER that the availability of technical assistance can play an important role in enhancing the ability of States, including by strengthening capacity and by institution-building, to prevent and combat corruption effectively,

CONVINCED that the illicit acquisition of personal wealth can be particularly damaging to democratic institutions, national economies and the rule of law,

DETERMINED to prevent, detect and deter in a more effective manner international transfers of illicitly acquired assets and to strengthen international cooperation in asset recovery,

ACKNOWLEDGING the fundamental principles of due process of law in criminal proceedings and in civil or administrative proceedings to adjudicate property rights,

BEARING IN MIND that the prevention and eradication of corruption is a responsibility of all States and that they must cooperate with one another, with the support and involvement of individuals and groups outside the public sector, such as civil society, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations, if their efforts in this area are to be effective,

BEARING ALSO IN MIND the principles of proper management of public affairs and public property, fairness, responsibility and equality before the law and the need to safeguard integrity and to foster a culture of rejection of corruption,

COMMENDING the work of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in preventing and combating corruption,

RECALLING the work carried out by other international and regional organisations in this field, including the activities of the African Union, the Council of Europe, the Customs Cooperation Council (also known as the World Customs Organisation), the European Union, the League of Arab States, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Organisation of American States,

TAKING NOTE WITH APPRECIATION of multilateral instruments to prevent and combat corruption, including, inter alia, the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, adopted by the Organisation of American States on 29 March 1996 (1), the Convention on the Fight against Corruption involving Officials of the European Communities or Officials of Member States of the European Union, adopted by the Council of the European Union on 26 May 1997 (2), the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, adopted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on 21 November 1997 (3), the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 27 January 1999 (4), the Civil Law Convention on Corruption, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 4 November 1999 (5), and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union on 12 July 2003,

WELCOMING the entry into force on 29 September 2003 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (6),

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Statement of purpose

The purposes of this Convention are:

(a) to promote and strengthen measures to prevent and combat corruption more efficiently and effectively;
(b) to promote, facilitate and support international cooperation and technical assistance in the prevention of and fight against corruption, including in asset recovery;
(c) to promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property.

Article 2

Use of terms

For the purposes of this Convention:

(a) ‘public official’ shall mean: (i) any person holding a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial office of a State Party, whether appointed or elected, whether permanent or temporary, whether paid or unpaid, irrespective of that person's seniority; (ii) any other person who performs a public function, including for a public agency or public enterprise, or provides a public service, as defined in the domestic law of the State Party and as applied in the pertinent area of law of that State Party; (iii) any other person defined as a ‘public official’ in the domestic law of a State Party. However, for the purpose of some specific measures contained in Chapter II of this Convention, ‘public official’ may mean any person who performs a public function or provides a public service as defined in the domestic law of the State Party and as applied in the pertinent area of law of that State Party;
(b) ‘foreign public official’ shall mean any person holding a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial office of a foreign country, whether appointed or elected; and any person exercising a public function for a foreign country, including for a public agency or public enterprise;
(c) ‘official of a public international organisation’ shall mean an international civil servant or any person who is authorised by such an organisation to act on behalf of that organisation;
(d) ‘property’ shall mean assets of every kind, whether corporeal or incorporeal, movable or immovable, tangible or intangible, and legal documents or instruments evidencing title to or interest in such
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