Provision 8 of the Report of Buenos Aires states: “In order to obtain better input for its review, the Committee shall include in the provisions governing its operation an appropriate role for civil society organizations, taking into account the “Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society Organizations in OAS Activities” [CP/RES. 759 (1217/99)] and the definition of civil society contained in AG/RES. 1661 (XXIX-O/99), in keeping with the domestic legislation of the State Party under review.”

To that end, Chapter V of the Rules of Procedure and Other Provisions defines the participation of civil society organizations within the activities of the Committee of Experts.

Below you will find both the guidelines from the Rules of Procedure which govern civil society participation, as well as specific instances of civil society participation in the MESICIC framework.

In accordance with the provision in Article 34 (a) of the Rules of Procedure and Other Provisions, civil society organizations may “[p]resent, through the Secretariat, specific proposals to be considered in the drafting process referred to in Article 18 of these Rules. These proposals should be presented with a copy in electronic format, within a time frame established by the Secretariat, which time frame will be made public”.

Previous Rounds

• Fourth Round: “Propuestas específicas de Transparency International a la propuesta de metodología de análisis de la Convención Interamericana contra la Corrupción” (7 de septiembre de 2011) y “Propuestas específicas de Transparency International a la propuesta de cuestionario ” (7 de setiembre de 2011)

• Second Round: “Transparency International Proposals for the Methodology of the Second Round of MESICIC” (March 20, 2006)

• First Round: “Key elements to be considered for the Inter-American Convention against Corruption review methodology” (April 8, 2002) and “Inter-American Convention against Corruption, Comments on the First Version of Draft Questionnaire and Methodology” (May 10, 2002)

In accordance with the provision in Article 34 (b) of the Rules of Procedure and Other Provisions, civil society organizations may “[p]resent, through the Secretariat, documents with specific and direct information related to the questions that are referred to in the questionnaire with respect to the implementation, by a State Party under review, of the provisions selected for review within the framework of a round. They may also present documents with information related to the implementation of the recommendations formulated by the Committee to the State Party in previous rounds. These documents shall be presented, with a copy in an electronic format, within the same time period given to the State Party in responding to the questionnaire”.

• Fourth Round: Replies to the Questionnaire

• Third Round: Replies to the Questionnaire

• Second Round: Replies to the Questionnaire

• First Round: Replies to the Questionnaire

In accordance with the provision in Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure and Other Provisions, “[t]he Committee may invite or accept the request from civil society organizations, within the framework of its meetings, to give a verbal presentation of the documents they presented in accordance with the provision in article 34 (c) of these Rules”, also,  “[t]he Committee will invite civil society organizations to give verbal presentations, in informal meetings, of the documents they presented in accordance with the provisions in Article 34 (a) and (b) of these Rules”.  

In accordance with the provision in Article 34 (c) of the Rules of Procedure and Other Provisions, civil society organizations may “[p]resent proposal documents related to the collective interest issues that the Committee has included in their annual working plan, in accordance with the provision in article 37 (b) of these Rules. These documents shall be presented, through the Secretariat, with a copy in electronic format, no later than a month before the date of the meeting in which the Committee shall consider these issues.”