The Efficiency of Public Procurement Procedures. The Principle of Integrity

The procedures related to public procurement rank among those government activities that are most exposed to corruption. The lack of transparency can seriously affect the integrity of these activities. Compliance with the principle of integrity is therefore essential for ensuring the efficient management of public funds. International efforts to establish the principle of integrity in public procurement procedures have been ongoing since 2004 and culminated in the adoption of the OECD Report on Integrity in Public Procurement in 2007. According to this document, the efforts of the international community should be guided towards enhancing transparency during public procurement procedures and establishing efficient control and liability mechanisms with regard to the spending of public funds. This paper focuses on the definition of the integrity principle in public procurement, mentions the major risks which can occur during the key stages of the procedures, the optimal level of transparency in these procedural stages and the major instruments which can ensure the integrity of public procurement procedures, such as accurate records, internal and external control, and the prevention of corruption and conflict of interest.