Financial Crime World

Austria Makes Progress in Fight Against Corruption, But More Work Needed

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Vienna - While Austria has made significant strides in combating corruption, there is still much work to be done, according to a recent report.

Anti-Corruption Strategy

Austria’s anti-corruption strategy, adopted in 2023, provides a framework for preventing and combating corruption. The strategy includes objectives to:

  • Mitigate public integrity risks related to human resource management, internal control and risk management
  • Prevent public procurement fraud and other types of corruption
  • Combat private sector corruption
  • Promote education on anti-corruption measures

Challenges Remain

Despite the progress made, Austria still faces several challenges:

Regulations on Conflict of Interest and Internal Audit

Shortcomings

Austria’s regulations on conflict of interest and internal audit are lacking. According to OECD standards, Austria fulfills only 16% of criteria for regulations and 9% for practice in terms of internal control and internal audit.

Lobbying Regulations

Incomplete Compliance

The country also falls short in its lobbying regulations, with only 75% of OECD criteria for regulations and 78% for practice being met. While Austria has taken steps to encourage transparency of lobbying activities, the report notes that there is still a lack of data on public organizations internally audited in the past five years.

Transparency of Public Information

Limited Compliance

Austria fulfills only 44% of OECD criteria for regulations and 35% for practice when it comes to transparency of public information. The country’s restrictions on access to public information are not in line with international standards, and there is no requirement to provide information in the requested format.

Progress Made

Despite these challenges, Austria has made progress in other areas:

Political Finance Framework

Comprehensive Approach

The country’s framework for political finance is comprehensive, including personal liability for electoral candidates that violate the rules and stringent limits on campaign expenses.

Conclusion

While Austria has made significant strides in its anti-corruption efforts, more work is needed to strengthen institutions and improve transparency.