The 9 December, 2004 marked one year since the signing conference for the United Nations Convention against Corruption was held in Mérida, Mexico.
The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 31 October 2003 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. It shall be open to all States for signature from 9 December 2003 until 9 December 2005, at United Nations Headquarters in New York, in accordance with article 67 (1) of the Convention. The Convention shall also be open for signature by regional economic integration organizations provided that at least one member State of such organization has signed this Convention in accordance with its article 67 (2). Ratificiation by 30 Member States is necessary for the Convention to enter into force.
At present, the Convention is signed by 113, and ratified by 12 countries. Bulgaria signed the Convention on 10 December, 2003 but still has not ratified it.