US leaves Council of Europe anti-corruption group amid wider multilateral retreat

The United States has withdrawn from the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, or GRECO, in the latest move by the Trump administration away from international and multilateral organisations. The Council of Europe said on Tuesday that Washington had formally notified it of the decision. A US official confirmed that the notification was submitted on Monday.

The official spoke anonymously ahead of a public announcement from the State Department. The administration has accused some international bodies of exceeding their mandates, operating inefficiently or failing to adapt to US policies. The Council of Europe said the United States had participated in GRECO since 2000 and had contributed to its work and the exchange of experience on preventing and combating corruption.

It said GRECO remained open to resuming cooperation with the US in the future in support of efforts to prevent corruption, strengthen integrity and uphold the rule of law. GRECO was established in 1999 to monitor compliance with the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption standards. Its membership is not restricted to European Union countries, and the United States joined a year after the group was founded.

Only Russia and Belarus had previously left GRECO, according to the Council of Europe. The US departure follows its withdrawal in January from the Venice Commission, another Council of Europe body that advises on constitutional law. The announcement also comes after the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the US had declined to invite its members to observe November’s congressional midterm elections.

Washington has already withdrawn from several other international bodies, including the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council, and is considering further steps.