January 01, 1997 | Fadi Moughaizel
Consolidating the Values of Integrity and Transparency in the Civil Service through Legislation

This working paper examines the legal framework of anti-corruption and transparency measures in Lebanon. Rather than a comprehensive repertoire of legislative and regulatory texts, it is an outline of the major deficiencies in the present legislation and recommendations for how to improve the existing legal framework, especially taking into consideration anti-corruption and transparency practices of foreign legal systems.

The paper consists of three sections. Part one includes a description of the major legal or regulatory texts aiming at preventing or sanctioning corruptive practices and at securing transparency, and an assessment of the deficiencies in these laws. Part two considers relevant foreign laws, particularly French, as French law is a major source of Lebanese administrative law and an appropriate source for any consistent development of Lebanese legislation. The major pieces of legislation reviewed include French anti-corruption and transparency laws, access to information laws, civil service laws and public procurement laws, as well as the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Part three contains recommendations such as establishing a comprehensive official compendium of laws and regulations,  the simplification of administrative formalities, and the drafting of a new law on corruption along the lines of the United Nations Model Law on Corruption.