Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest is not easily defined, because standards of morality may differ
and have also evolved over time. A widely used general definition is a set of
circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgement or actions regarding a
primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest.
Conflict of interest is considered an indicator, a precursor and a result of corruption.
Transparency international understands a conflict of interest as a situation where an
individual or the entity for which they work, whether a government, business, media
outlet or civil society organization, is confronted with choosing between the duties and
demands of their position and their own private interests.(1)
ECDC defines “conflict of interest” as a situation in which a person appointed to a
function has a personal or vested interest in the outcome of decisions resulting from
that function. Consequently, a person must not be involved in any decision during the
course of his/her duties with the knowledge that there is an opportunity to further
his/her personal interests.(2)
(1) Conflicts of interest in public administration, Library briefing of the European
Parliament, 05/02/2013
(2) Guidance document on conflict of interest, ECDC, 2005