US exits GRECO, deepening Trump administration's retreat from global watchdogs

The Trump administration has formally withdrawn the United States from GRECO, the Council of Europe's anti-corruption watchdog. The move deepens Washington's retreat from multilateral institutions and clouds future anti-corruption cooperation.

In Short

• Washington formally notified the Council of Europe about the withdrawal on Monday
• Only Russia and Belarus had previously left the anti-corruption monitoring body
• The Council said the US had contributed valuable expertise since joining

The Trump administration has decided to pull the United States out of the Group of States against Corruption, or GRECO, a leading European anti-corruption watchdog, as it pushes ahead with plans to step back from international and multilateral bodies that it says have gone beyond their mandates, are inefficient or have not adapted to US policies.

The Council of Europe said on Tuesday that the US had formally notified it of the decision. Only Russia and Belarus have left GRECO before. A US official also confirmed the withdrawal, saying it was submitted on Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a public announcement from the State Department.

In a statement, the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe said, "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." It added, "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 move came a week after the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the US had declined to invite its members to observe November's congressional midterm elections, marking a break from past practice. The US has already withdrawn from several European-based UN and multilateral bodies, including the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council, and is considering further such steps.

In January, the US also withdrew from the Venice Commission, another Council of Europe body that advises on constitutional law. GRECO was set up in 1999 by the Council of Europe to monitor compliance with the organisation's anti-corruption standards. Its membership is not limited to European Union countries, and the US joined in 2000. The latest withdrawal adds to a wider US pullback from international institutions.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends