EU committee calls for int'l fight against corruption

BRUSSELS, June 20 (KUNA) -- The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday stressed the need to step up the international fight against corruption as "one of the most neglected causes of human rights violations" that affects the most vulnerable groups in society, fuelling injustice, inequality, discrimination, political and economic instability and conflict. In a resolution approved by 47 votes to three, the committee called for an anti-corruption clause to be added to European Union (EU) deals with non-EU countries, and close monitoring, especially of EU projects, in cooperation with local anti-corruption agencies.
Sanctions should be used in cases of systemic corruption, it said. However, the resolution underlined that "EU can only become a credible and influential leader in the fight against corruption if it addresses the problems of organized crime, corruption and money laundering within its own borders in an adequate manner." The resolution will be put to a vote by the Parliament's as a whole at its September session . (end) nk.msa