The Princely Government has adopted a three-year strategy to combat corruption across the Principality’s highest executive functions, setting out new obligations for ministers, senior officials and, for the first time, certain roles within the Maison Souveraine.
The 2026–2028 strategy, revealed to the press Tuesday, responds to 17 recommendations issued by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) following its evaluation of Monaco in June 2024 under the fifth assessment cycle, which focused on the prevention of corruption and promotion of integrity within central governments. It is structured around five objectives and accompanied by a detailed operational action plan.
A steering committee born from a sovereign ordinance
The strategy was developed by a dedicated steering committee established by Sovereign Ordinance No. 11.092 of 18th February 2025. Chaired by the Minister of State and composed of the five Government Councillor-Ministers, the Secretary of State for Justice, and representatives of the governmental administration and the Maison Souveraine, the committee has met six times since its creation to oversee the design of the measures.
A risk-mapping exercise — carried out with external experts and covering both governmental functions and other senior executive roles — formed the analytical foundation of the strategy, allowing the committee to identify specific threats, vulnerabilities and risk factors.
Extended ethics oversight
The strategy’s first objective broadens the scope of existing ethics controls. Declarations of interests, until now required only of Government Councillor-Ministers, will be extended to the Minister of State, the Secretary of State for Justice, senior figures within the governmental administration, and holders of senior positions at the Maison Souveraine — including the Secretary of State, members of the Princely Cabinet, and the Administrator of Crown Property.
An integrity check by the President of the Ethics Committee will be required ahead of all such nominations. For government members and the Secretary of State for Justice, interest declarations will be made public except where disclosure would disproportionately affect the right to private and family life.
A post-departure oversight mechanism will also be extended beyond government members to all senior executive functions. Officials moving to the private sector within two years of leaving office will be required to submit details of their future activity to the Ethics Committee, which will issue an opinion on compatibility or incompatibility — an opinion that may itself be made public if ignored.
Asset declarations, previously required only of government members, will similarly be extended across all senior executive roles, with the President of the Superior Audit Commission given authority to conduct substantive checks rather than purely formal verifications.
Mandatory ethics training and a permanent advisory role
The second objective centres on embedding a culture of integrity. All individuals holding senior executive functions will be required to undergo initial ethics training upon taking office and at least one further session per year thereafter. A best-practice guide — published publicly and signed for by each official — will be issued at the point of appointment.
A dedicated ethics adviser will be available on a permanent and confidential basis to government members, the Secretary of State for Justice, and senior officials within the governmental administration. For the Maison Souveraine, this advisory role will be fulfilled by the President of the Ethics Committee.
Rules on conflicts of interest, gifts, and the holding of concurrent paid activities — already applicable to government members — will be extended across all senior executive functions. Ministers and the Secretary of State for Justice will be prohibited from holding any other remunerated position during their term, with limited exceptions for educational, artistic, literary, sporting, or cultural activities.
Lobbying registers and more press engagement
The third objective introduces transparency measures around decision-making processes. Digital registers recording meetings between senior executive officials and interest representatives or influential third parties will be created and made publicly accessible for the Princely Government, the Directorate of Judicial Services, and the Maison Souveraine. Entries will include the identities of those met, the date and location, the position put forward, and the legislative or regulatory text concerned.
The opinions of the Council of State will be published in the Journal de Monaco and on the Legimonaco digital platform, providing greater visibility into the legal, technical, and political considerations underpinning legislation and regulation.
Government members will also be expected to hold regular joint press conferences, while thematic press briefings led by the relevant minister or the Secretary of State for Justice will address specific policy areas. The Secretary of State for Justice will commit to at least one annual press engagement at the opening of the judicial year, with further interviews or briefings on topical matters throughout the year.
Whistleblower protection and procurement reform
The fourth objective concerns the passage of a whistleblower protection law. A bill — originally tabled before the National Council in December 2018 — would establish the formal status of whistleblower in Monaco, guarantee anonymity from the outset of proceedings, provide legal protection against professional reprisals, and set out a reporting procedure leading to judicial referral. The Government and National Council aim to adopt the legislation in 2026.
The fifth objective targets public procurement. The sovereign ordinance governing public contracts — last updated in 2018 — will be revised to introduce publication requirements for contracts for services and supplies, new procedural timelines, weighted and ranked objective award criteria, the end of the practice of opening bids in the presence of operators, and mandatory publication of contract awards above €200,000 including the name of the successful tenderer.
Transparency rules will also be extended to majority state-owned companies, both for their procurement from the state and for certain contracts they conclude with third parties in the delivery of public services or network operations.
A framework designed to evolve
According to the government, the strategy will be reviewed at regular intervals by the steering committee, which is also tasked with preparing a progress report to be submitted to European authorities by 30th June 2026. A full assessment will be conducted at the end of the 2026–2028 period to evaluate outcomes and shape any subsequent phase.
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Photo by Cassandra Tanti