The Trump administration has formally notified the Council of Europe of the United States’ withdrawal from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), a prominent European anti-corruption organisation. This decision is part of the administration’s ongoing initiative to disengage from international and multilateral organisations that it perceives as exceeding their mandates, demonstrating inefficiency, or failing to align with US policies. Only two other countries, Russia and Belarus, have withdrawn from GRECO.
A US official confirmed that the notification was submitted on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of an official State Department announcement.
“The United States has participated in GRECO since 2000 and has been a valuable contributor to its work and to the exchange of experience and good practice in preventing and combating corruption,” the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe said in a statement. “GRECO remains open to resuming cooperation with the United States in the future in support of shared efforts to prevent corruption, strengthen integrity and uphold the rule of law.”
The recent announcement comes one week after a statement from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe indicating that the United States has chosen not to invite its members to monitor the upcoming congressional midterm elections in November. This decision marks a notable shift from established precedent.
Furthermore, the United States has already withdrawn from several European-based United Nations and multilateral organisations, including the World Health Organisation and the UN Human Rights Council. It is currently evaluating the potential for additional withdrawals. Earlier in January, the US also exited the Venice Commission, a Council of Europe panel that provides advisory services on constitutional law.
The Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), created in 1999 by the Council of Europe, oversees adherence to the organisation’s anti-corruption standards. GRECO membership extends beyond European Union states, and the United States became a member a year after GRECO’s inception.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
