Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Anti-Corruption and Transparency Experts Taskforce
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Anti-Corruption and Transparency Experts Task Force (APEC ACT) was established in 2005 to specifically steer APEC anti-corruption activities. The APEC ACT is made up of law enforcement officials from APEC member economies and its main activities include:
- implementation of UNCAC, the Santiago Commitment To Fight Corruption and Ensure Transparency, and the APEC Anti-Corruption Course of Action on Fighting Corruption and Ensuring Transparency
- sharing information on anti-corruption practices between APEC economies
- promoting mutual legal assistance between APEC economies
- providing capacity building in areas of corruption prevention and prosecution, and
- providing cooperation on denial of safe haven for corrupt individuals and embezzled assets.
Australia is represented on the APEC ACT by the Attorney-General's Department. In 2007, Miles Jordana, Deputy Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department, chaired the APEC ACT on behalf of Australia. The APEC ACT agreed on four major deliverables in 2007, including:
- a Code of Conduct for Business, which provides practical guidance for private sector enterprises to combat corruption
- Conduct Principals for Public Officials, providing guidance for public sector bodies to combat corruption
- Complementary Anti-Corruption Principals for the Public and Private Sectors, and
- Statement on Fighting Corruption through Improved International Legal Cooperation.
The APEC Code of Conduct for Business was a significant product and was launched during APEC Leaders Week in Sydney on 24 September 2007.
Australia will continue to have a significant profile in the APEC ACT due to its lead role in a pathfinder project for the implementation APEC Code of Conduct for Business which is a major focus for 2008/09. Australia will be carrying out this project in partnership with Chile and Vietnam.
The pathfinder project represents an important step in combating corruption within the private sector in APEC economies. The project will implement the Code through providing capacity building seminars to a range of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), government and law enforcement officials, civil society representatives and chambers of commerce. The seminars will seek to educate these bodies about their obligations under the domestic law and the Code as well as provide assistance and incentives for SMEs to implement the Code.
It is expected that the project will increase awareness among SMEs that corruption is an unacceptable practice according to law and best practice standards. Through increased awareness, it is anticipated that these seminars will help to build a culture of lawfulness and an intolerance of corruption among the private sector within the host economies. Practical seminars will enhance the ability for law enforcement bodies and industry representatives to implement anti-corruption codes of conduct within their organisations. The seminars will also seek to educate the SMEs on anti corruption laws and standards within their own economies.
The project may later be expanded to other APEC member economies.
