The Secretariat of Transparency of the Presidency of the Republic on 10th February launched the “Private companies active in compliance with anti-corruption measures (EACA)” initiative. This initiative seeks to remove incentives for corrupt practices through compliance programmes, as well as to strengthen the competitiveness of the country through the creation of a more transparent and open business scenario.

The EACA initiative of the Secretariat of Transparency was put together by industry associations and multinational companies like Alpina, Bavaria, c, Hocol, Pfizer, Telefónica and Siemens with the aim of raising corruption prevention standards in companies to international levels. The EACA initiative consists of a registry of companies that meet a series of transparency and corruption prevention standards and objectives in three dimensions: leadership of senior management, promotion of an anti-corruption culture within the company and with third parties, and prevention of corruption risks.

Since 2013, the European Union's EUROsociAL II programme has provided significant support to the Secretariat of Transparency in the design and implementation of the initiative within the framework of the “Transparency and anti-corruption” action coordinated by the FIIAPP with its operational partner the CEDDET Foundation. The EACA project uses as a reference the experience of the “Pro-Ethics Registries” of Brazil, promoted by the country's Controller-General of the Union (CGU) and the ETHOS Institute. The delegated cooperation project of the European Union, ACTUE Colombia, implemented by the FIIAPP, is taking the baton for working with Colombian institutions in the consolidation of this registry.

At the inaugural event, the Secretary of Transparency, Camilo Enciso, urged companies to participate in the initiative as an opportunity to assess themselves and analyze their management in the area of prevention of corrupt practices.  Renato Capanema, of the CGU of Brazil, explained the advances in his country's experience as a pioneer in proposals of this type in Latin America. In addition, there were presentations by the Superintendent of Companies, the High Presidential Adviser for Competitiveness and Innovation.

Similarly, the Evaluation Committee for the initiative, consisting of one representative each from the Colombian National Association of Business Owners (ANDI), the Colombian National Federation of Retailers (FENALCO), the Network of Chambers of Commerce (Confecámaras) and the Colombian Association of Auditors, was set up.