others may be compelled to exert increased pressures on some States te amend their legislation and provide mutual assistance in corruption cases The global risks are even higher when links between corruption and organized crime become clearer. Several recent examples have highlighted how the illicit relationships between organized criminal groups and public officials have the potential to cause serious damage to the socio-economic structure of States@. It is essential to note that serious and profitable illicit activities-whether related to ancient sculpture nuclear material, drugs, illegal aliens or prostitution -invariably rely at some point in time on the support of corrupt public officials. Corruption is a necessary condition for organized criminals to operate. The risk is that, because of the immense power that some groups command organized criminals may come to acquire such great power that they would completely undermine and destroy institutions, with dire consequences for democracy and the rule of law. Corruption and typology of illicit activities associated with it Over the years, considerable debate has been carried out in both academic and international forum on the definition of corruption. On the basis of the report of the Italian Minister of Justice at the 19th Conference of European Ministers of Justice organized by the Council of Europe at Valletta, Malta, from 14 to 15 June 1994), the Multidisciplinary Group on Corruption(GMC, the French acronym)of the Council of Europe establi shed the following provisional working definition of corruption Corruption as dealt with by the Council of Europe s Gmc is bribery and any other behaviour in relation to persons entrusted with responsibilities in the public or private sector which violates their duties that follow from their status as public official, private employee independent agent or other relationship of that kind and is aimed at obtaining undue advantages of any kind for themse lves or for others In other words, corruption could be said to constitute the combined effect of monopoly of power plus discretion in decision-making in the absenceothers may be compelled to exert increased pressures on some States to amend their legislation and provide mutual assistance in corruption cases. The global risks are even higher when links between corruption and organized crime become clearer. Several recent examples have highlighted how the illicit relationships between organized criminal groups and public officials have the potential to cause serious damage to the socio-economic structure of States(1). It is essential to note that serious and profitable illicit activities - whether related to ancient sculpture, nuclear material, drugs, illegal aliens or prostitution - invariably rely at some point in time on the support of corrupt public officials. Corruption is a necessary condition for organized criminals to operate. The risk is that, because of the immense power that some groups command, organized criminals may come to acquire such great power that they would completely undermine and destroy institutions, with dire consequences for democracy and the rule of law. Corruption and typology of illicit activities associated with it Over the years, considerable debate has been carried out in both academic and international forum on the definition of corruption. On the basis of the report of the Italian Minister of Justice at the 19th Conference of European Ministers of Justice (organized by the Council of Europe at Valletta, Malta, from 14 to 15 June 1994), the Multidisciplinary Group on Corruption (GMC, the French acronym) of the Council of Europe established the following provisional working definition of corruption: "Corruption as dealt with by the Council of Europe's GMC is bribery and any other behaviour in relation to persons entrusted with responsibilities in the public or private sector which violates their duties that follow from their status as public official, private employee, independent agent or other relationship of that kind and is aimed at obtaining undue advantages of any kind for themselves or for others". In other words, corruption could be said to constitute the combined effect of monopoly of power plus discretion in decision-making in the absence