The Banknotes Ethics Initiative (BnEI) is an anti-corruption collective action initiative founded in 2013. It addresses the internal compliance standards of its members combined with a rigorous accreditation process administered by an external accreditation council.

The objectives of BnEI are also supported by 38 central banks, and now, some five years after its inception, the BnEI is picking up on one of its driving themes – ensuring fair competition in the procurement of banknotes.

The Integrity Pact (IP) is a tool developed during the 1990s by Transparency International (TI) to help governments, businesses and civil society intent on fighting corruption in the field of public contracting. It consists of a process that includes an agreement between a government or government department and all bidders for a public sector contract.

This brochure provides a brief description of the Integrity Pact.

Anti-corruption Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs) are structured efforts that bring together private sector actors with other stakeholders with the aim of preventing corruption and improving the business environment in a particular context.

The landscape of CAIs is extremely diverse. Differences cut across the type and number of stakeholders involved. Initiatives can be sector-specific or cross-sectoral. They can be applied at the community, country, regional or global level.

Corruption is a multi-faceted problem, damaging societies and economies by reducing investment, reducing the quality of goods and services, increasing inequality, and preventing sustainable and fair development. But it also has damaging effects on business as it imposes added transaction costs, increases risk, makes business transactions less reliable and undermines fair competition and productivity.

This document addresses the High Level Reporting Mechanism (HLRM) and its contributions to fairer market conditions in Colombia, where it is being piloted in connection with the public procurement process for the 4G Road Project. Using a Public Private Partnership approach, the 4G Road Project will be carried out over the course of seven years, completing 8,000 km of roads at an investment of US$25 billion.

The role of the HLRM will be to ensure that the program is less vulnerable to corruption and bribery risks.

The OECD Secretary-General convened a High-Level Advisory Group on Anti-Corruption and Integrity on the occasion of the OECD Integrity Forum in March 2015. The Group, which is composed of independent experts from a variety of professional backgrounds in the anti-corruption field, was tasked with helping the OECD identify ways to strengthen its work on combating corruption and fostering integrity in the public and private spheres through a consultative role to the Secretary-General.

This paper argues that for Collective Action to be effective, it requires a multi-stakeholder strategy that includes key international actors; enforcement agencies, policy makers, civil society, the development community and international business. It uses the maritime industry as a case study, explaining the challenges that can arise in an industry-led Collective Action and how a multi-stakeholder strategy can support such initiatives.

This handbook seeks to provide hands-on guidance to those contracting authorities and bidders who are willing to act for a more transparent public procurement market by pursuing an integrity pact. Moreover, it is aimed at providing additional information to all those who wish to know more about this anti-corruption tool.

Trade and competition are powerful drivers of growth, increased living standards and job creation. The G20’s growth strategies include reforms to facilitate trade by lowering costs, streamlining customs procedures, reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens and strengthening trade-enabling services.

Customs have significant responsibilities for regulating cross-border trade, including collecting taxes, deterring illicit trade, controlling goods subject to prohibitions or restrictions, and contributing to economic competitiveness by facilitating trade.