Participation in International Organisations
The National Protective Service (NPS) takes part in the work of several international organisations dedicated to preventing corruption, strengthening integrity, and improving law enforcement. These collaborations aim to facilitate the exchange of experiences, the adoption of international standards and best practices, and to ensure the active participation of Hungarian experts in the global anti-corruption community.
United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 31 October 2003 (Resolution 58/4) and entered into force on 14 December 2005. The Convention originally had 140 signatories and currently has 190 States Parties.
Hungary promulgated the Convention through Act CXXXIV of 2005, and it entered into force in Hungary on 14 December 2005.
The UNCAC covers five main areas:
- Preventive measures,
- Criminalisation and law enforcement,
- International cooperation,
- Asset recovery,
- Technical assistance and information exchange.
The Conference of the States Parties (COSP) is the main decision-making body of the Convention. It provides guidance for implementation and operates the Implementation Review Mechanism (IRM), which assesses the progress made by the States Parties.
Hungary participated in the first review cycle (2013), which focused on Chapter III (Criminalisation and law enforcement) and Chapter IV (International co-operation). The second review cycle, covering Chapter II (Preventive measures) and Chapter V (Asset recovery), is currently ongoing.
In 2023, experts from the National Protective Service participated as reviewers in Poland’s country review, and in 2025, they were invited to assess Côte d’Ivoire’s progress report.
Intergovernmental Working Group on Prevention (IWGP)
The Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the Prevention of Corruption (IWGP) operates under the authority of the Conference of the States Parties to the UNCAC. Established in 2009, it meets annually in Vienna and serves as a platform for States Parties to exchange experiences and best practices in the field of corruption prevention.
The National Protective Service regularly participates in the meetings of the Working Group, presenting Hungary’s preventive measures and achievements in the fight against corruption.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD works globally to design evidence-based public policies that improve people’s lives. Its mission is to promote prosperity, equality, and sustainable development. It provides a forum for governments and experts to jointly analyse economic, social, and environmental challenges, and to exchange good practices and international standards.
Hungary has been a member of the organisation since 1996 and actively contributes to its anti-corruption work. The OECD headquarters is located in Paris.
Hungary is represented in the Working Group on Bribery (WGB) and the Pub-lic Integrity and Anti-Corruption Working Group (PIAC) by the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Protective Service.
As a State Party to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (WGB), Hungary participates in the monitoring mechanism. In 2024, Hungary served as a lead evaluator in the fourth round evaluation of South Africa.
OECD’s peer reviews regularly assess Hungary’s progress in the fight against corruption. In 2017, the OECD adopted the Recommendation on Public Integrity, in the development of which Hungary played an active role. The OECD publication Education for Integrity (2018) supports the teaching of integrity among young people and has repeatedly highlighted Hungary as a good practice example, recognising the professional contribution of the National Protective Service.
According to Government at a Glance 2025, Hungary is among the 20 OECD member countries that have a whole-of-government strategic framework for fighting corruption and strengthening public sector integrity. Hungary is also one of only six OECD countries that fully monitor the implementation of their national anti-corruption strategy.
Cooperation within the OECD framework aims to strengthen integrity in the public sector, align anti-corruption strategies, and support the implementation of international recommendations.
Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) was established by the Council of Europe in 1999 with the aim of promoting the prevention and detection of corruption and monitoring the compliance of member states with anti-corruption standards. Through its evaluations, GRECO identifies the strengths and weaknesses of national legal and institutional frameworks and issues recommendations for necessary reforms.
Hungary joined GRECO in 1999. The organisation assesses the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures and provides recommendations to its member states. Hungary has participated in five evaluation rounds to date. The evaluation and compliance reports are available on GRECO’s official website.
During the evaluation cycles, Hungary underwent the following reviews:
- First evaluation round: 2001
- Second evaluation round: 2005
- Third evaluation round: 2010
- Fourth evaluation round: 2016
- Fifth evaluation round: 2023 (publication in progress)
Hungary’s active participation in GRECO’s work contributes to the development of national anti-corruption and integrity measures and supports alignment with international standards.
The organisation’s headquarters is located in Strasbourg.
(GRECO)
European Partners against Corruption / European Anti-Corruption Contact-Point Network (EPAC/EACN)
The European Partners against Corruption (EPAC) is an independent professional network established in 2004, bringing together more than 70 anti-corruption and law enforcement authorities from the member states of the Council of Europe. Its goal is to provide a platform for experts to exchange experiences, develop joint strategies, and enhance professional standards.
Hungary is represented in EPAC by the National Protective Service (NPS), in accordance with Government Decree No. 293/2010 (XII.22.).
EPAC’s EU counterpart organisation is the European Anti-Corruption Con-tact-Point Network (EACN), which operates on the basis of the EPAC structure. It brings together around 50 anti-corruption authorities from EU member states, as well as the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). Its mission is to strengthen cooperation within the European Union and to facilitate the exchange of results, experiences, and best practices in corruption prevention and detection.
With the active contribution of the National Protective Service, EPAC published the “Managing Integrity Risks” guide, which provides a methodological foundation for anti-corruption authorities to improve their risk assessment and analysis activities. The risk management chapter of the guide is based on the methodology jointly developed by the National Protective Service and the Ministry of Finance.
The National Protective Service achieved third place in 2023 and first place in 2024 in the EPAC Excellence Award competition, in recognition of its outstand-ing corruption prevention projects.
Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network)
The GlobE Network was established in 2021 upon the initiative of the United Nations, with the aim of strengthening informal cooperation and direct communication among anti-corruption law enforcement authorities. The network facilitates cross-border information exchange, the sharing of practical experiences, and the building of trust among its members.
Currently, the network has 244 member authorities from 132 countries, and its headquarters are located in Vienna. Hungary is represented by the National Protective Service (NPS), which has been a member of the GlobE Network since November 2023.
In the 2024 Annual Report, which was also published as a professional com-pendium, 27 experts, including the designated contact point of the National Protective Service, shared their experiences and insights on international cooperation.
In 2024, the GlobE Network launched its “Empowering Women in Justice / for Justice” mentoring programme, aimed at strengthening the role of women in law enforcement and the judiciary. Two staff members of the National Protective Service participated in the programme, further enhancing Hungary’s professional presence in the international anti-corruption community.
International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA)
Hungary joined the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) in 2010. The Academy was established jointly by the United Nations, INTERPOL, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and the Republic of Austria. IACA is the world’s first educational institution dedicated specifically to anti-corruption, providing global training programmes for professionals from the public, private, and civil society sectors.
The organisation’s headquarters are located in Laxenburg, Austria. Hungary has been a State Party to the Agreement for the Establishment of IACA since 2011, and the National Protective Service (NPS) participates as a member and active contributor in the Academy’s training and professional programmes.
In 2022, IACA launched a global initiative to develop an international methodology for assessing the effectiveness of anti-corruption authorities. The initiative continued in August 2025 with an expert working group meeting held in Laxenburg, where the National Protective Service represented Hungary. The finalised methodology will be presented in December 2025 at the global conference titled “Harnessing Data to Improve Corruption Measurement” in New York.
(IACA)
