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Communication on the fight against corruption
SUMMARY OF:
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE JOINT COMMUNICATION?
The communication on the fight against corruption aims to provide an overview of existing European Union (EU) anti-corruption legislation and policies, identify the challenges and reflect on how to step up future EU action.
KEY POINTS
- The EU and all the EU Member States are parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument, and remain committed to its implementation.
- In May 2023, the European Commission published this communication alongside a proposal for a directive to combat corruption through criminal law and a new sanctions regime for corruption as an anti-corruption package.
- The communication establishes the EU network against corruption and tasks the Commission with mapping areas at high risk of corruption in the EU in preparation for a future EU anti-corruption strategy.
Impact of corruption
According to the communication, corruption:
- is highly damaging to society, democracy, the economy and individuals;
- undermines institutions and public services, enables organised crime and foreign interference and hinders sustainable economic growth; specifically, the EU security union strategy (see summary) and the 2021–2025 EU strategy on organised crime have identified the particular risk of corruption in sectors such as healthcare, waste management, construction and transportation;
- costs the EU economy at least €120 billion per year.
EU anti-corruption framework
- The EU has criminal legislation to fight corruption, but it is fragmented and outdated.
- The main EU laws are:
- the 1997 convention on the fight against corruption involving officials (see summary); and
- Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA on combating corruption in the private sector (see summary).
- More recent measures include:
- The EU identifies and addresses corruption risks in areas such as public procurement, tax legislation and corporate transparency.
- The effective investigation, prosecution and sanctioning of corruption are key, with the support of EU agencies and tools like the European Arrest Warrant and asset recovery mechanisms.
- The proposed directive on combating corruption aims to establish common EU-wide rules on definitions, penalties, prevention and enforcement.
- The communication establishes the EU network against corruption, which brings together law enforcement, public authorities, practitioners, civil society and other stakeholders, acting as a catalyst for corruption prevention across the EU.
- The Commission is tasked with mapping common areas where corruption risks are high across the EU in preparation for a future EU anti-corruption strategy.
Supporting anti-corruption efforts in the Member States
- The EU supports Member States’ anti-corruption reforms through:
- the rule of law reports and their targeted recommendations to Member States;
- the European semester;
- concrete milestones in the recovery and resilience plans;
- technical assistance; and
- funding.
Integrity and transparency
- The EU will partner with the private sector, civil society, researchers, the media and citizens to foster a culture of integrity, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption.
- The main priorities will be:
- awareness raising;
- civic education; and
- support for whistleblowers, journalists and human rights defenders.
Beyond the EU
- The EU promotes the fight against corruption in its enlargement and neighbourhood policies, trade relations and development cooperation.
- The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, supported by the Commission, has proposed a common foreign and security policy sanctions framework to target serious acts of corruption outside the EU.
BACKGROUND
For further information, see:
- Anti-corruption (European Commission).
MAIN DOCUMENT
Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Economic and Social Committee on the fight against corruption (JOIN(2023) 12 final, ).
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