On 2-3 November 2023, the 22nd Annual Conference and General Assembly of the European Partners Against Corruption (EPAC) and the European Union Anti-Corruption Contact Network (EACN) took place in Dublin, Ireland. Among other decisions, the General Assembly elected a new President, two Vice-Presidents and two Deputy Vice-Presidents. For a term of two years to the position of EPAC/EACN President was elected Mr Linas Pernavas, Director of the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania (STT).
"It is an honour and a great responsibility to take on this duty and I will do everything to represent EPAC/EACN in its best interests. I believe that the EPAC/EACN network must continue to grow and become an open, constantly modernizing network that seeks the best solutions and advice for its members.", said the new president of EPAC/EACN, STT director Linas Pernavas.
He also outlined these main priorities for future EPAC/EACN work - strengthening cooperation and best practice sharing among European anti-corruption and police oversight authorities, continuing to serve as a platform for capacity building of POBs and ACAs and strengthening EPAC/EACN's influence as the biggest network in European anti-corruption policy-making. It is also important to promote providing conditions for effective information exchange between practitioners across national borders, and ensuring access to information and promoting the use of latest technology solutions for data analysis and evidence-based policymaking.
Around 200 participants from more than 100 institutions and more than 30 different countries took part in the event. Speakers from the European Commission, the European Public Prosecutor's Office, European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL), European Anti-Fraud’s Office (OLAF) and national anti-corruption and police oversight institutions provided their insights and experience on relevant topics. This year’s Conference discussed the following themes: Whistleblowing, Gender-Based Violence perpetrated by state actors, Protecting the financial interests of the EU and Emerging Challenges in Corruption Investigations and Police Oversight. Among other speakers, Ms Margarita Dobrynina, Head of the Strategic Analysis Division of the STT, presented STT experience in applying big data analytics in corruption investigations. In the development of big data analytics in law enforcement institutions, enabling legal regulation, digitisation and maturity of state information resources, inter-institutional cooperation, strengthening of analytical IT infrastructure and human resources become an integral basis for the effectiveness of this activity. Mr Darius Mickevičius, Head of the International Cooperation Division of the STT and Head of EPAC/EACN Secretariat, presented EPAC/EACN activity report for 2022-2023.
Alongside STT director Mr Linas Pernavas , as new EPAC/EACN President, the Board will also include Mr Ernst Schmid, Acting Head of Department, the Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) under the Austrian Ministry of the Interior (EPAC/EACN Vice-President for anti-corruption strand), and Ms Lucile Rolland, Deputy Head of the French National Police General Inspectorate (EPAC/EACN Vice-President for police oversight strand), Mr Traian Mihăiţă Bârlici, Head of the Prevention Directorate in the Anti-Corruption General Directorate (DGA) under the Romanian Ministry of the Interior (EPAC/EACN Deputy Vice President for anti-corruption strand), and Mr Hugh Hume, Commissioner of the Irish Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (EPAC/EACN Deputy Vice President for police oversight strand).
Among other highlights, the General Assembly accepted 5 new organisations from Spain, Hungary, Ukraine and Georgia to full-fledged members of EPAC Network, as well as adopted a Conference ending document – the Dublin Declaration. The Conference also featured traditional EPAC/EACN Awards for the best anti-corruption or police oversight initiative in 2023, which was won by the Polish Central Anti-Corruption Bureau for its project ‘ABC Integrity’.
The aim of the EPAC/EACN network is to strengthen cooperation in the exchange of good practice in the fight against corruption and police oversight. In total, 109 anti-corruption and police oversight bodies from 38 European countries are members of EPAC/EACN.
