1. Dr Grzegorz Makowski, Stefan Batory Foundation Statement to the UNCAC Implementation Review Group briefing for NGOs in Vienna, Austria - June 4th, 2015 Civil society in the UNCAC review process in Poland

2. How have we been involved?  Making relations with the government (focal point)  Using information and tools provided by UNCAC Coalition (knowledge on assessment process, help in structuring the report, etc.)  Participation and co-organization of the peer review visit  Outreach – the conference (Feb. 11, 2015): ‐ Involvement of the focal point and representatives of the official evaluation team; ‐ High profile speakers (e.g. Minister/head of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau) ‐ Over 70 participants (mainly officials, experts, CSOs) ‐ Good media coverage (… press releases, 4 appearances in TV and radio, social media)

4. Unfavorable and favorable factors to the CSO involvement  Government / focal point not prepared to organize the review (not enough resources / people; no priority)  Bad information policy towards public  Positive, personal involvement of the officials engaged in the review process

5. What was achieved thanks to the involvement of CSOs in the review process?  Without it no one in the public would ever know that there was any review of UNCAC implementation.  Authentic debate based on different views on the quality of UNCAC provisions, e.g.: ‐ Whistleblower protection ‐ ACA independence ‐ Liability of legal persons  A real chance that UNCAC implementation will be improved – results of the review and the debate have been included into the policy-making process – they will be part of the government’s Program of counteracting corruption for 2014-19  A real improvement of the informational policy concerning UNCAC review (ES translated into Polish and full report published – http://bip.ms.gov.pl/pl/ministerstwo/wspolpraca-miedzynarodowa/wspolpraca-w- ramach--onz-i-obwe/konwencja-narodow-zjednoczonych-przeciwko-korupcji/ ) http://bip.ms.gov.pl/pl/ministerstwo/wspolpraca-miedzynarodowa/wspolpraca-w- ramach--onz-i-obwe/konwencja-narodow-zjednoczonych-przeciwko-korupcji/

6. Lessons learned and recommendations  CSOs involvement motivates government to work better and in more openly on UNCAC implementation  Government should feel stronger pressure from UN to cooperate with CSOs in this field.  Cooperation and review may be really constructive and productive  involvement of UN in building relations between CSOs and focal points would be reasonable (e.g. common workshops, experience sharing, etc.)  Parallel reports make official review better  why not use parallel reports as supplements to official reports?

7. Thank you! gmakowski@batory.org.pl www.batory.org.pl