EU’s Fight Against Corruption: Key Questions Answered
EU’s Anti-Corruption Strategy
The European Union has been working to develop anti-corruption measures, with a strategic anti-corruption framework currently in development. This framework aims to establish a comprehensive approach to combating corruption within the EU and globally.
Key Objectives:
- Develop stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide
- Enhance the EU’s capacity to safeguard its values, fundamental interests, security, independence, and integrity
Whistleblowing: Protecting Those Who Speak Out Against Corruption
The European Union protects whistleblowers who report breaches of EU law, including wrongdoings, maladministration, and mismanagement, as well as fraud and other irregularities. This protection is essential for encouraging individuals to come forward with information about corruption.
Types of Reports That Qualify for Protection:
- Wrongdoings
- Maladministration
- Mismanagement
- Fraud
- Other irregularities
Combating Corruption Globally: The EU’s External Dimension
The EU supports legal and policy reforms to build anti-corruption institutions and oversight bodies, promote high integrity and transparency standards, and strengthen civil society, whistleblowers, human rights defenders, and independent media as watchdogs against corruption.
Key Activities:
- Building anti-corruption institutions and oversight bodies
- Promoting high integrity and transparency standards
- Strengthening civil society, whistleblowers, human rights defenders, and independent media
Sanctions Framework on Corruption: A New Approach
The EU needs a dedicated sanctions framework to target serious acts of corruption worldwide, no matter where they occur. This framework will enhance the EU’s capacity to safeguard its values, fundamental interests, security, independence, and integrity.
Types of Acts That Will Be Targeted:
- Passive or active bribery of a public official
- Embezzlement or misappropriation of property by a public official
- Laundering of proceeds from those acts
For More Information
If you would like to learn more about the EU’s fight against corruption, please refer to the following sources:
- Press release: Anti-corruption: Stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide
- Factsheet: Strengthening EU action to fight corruption
- Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee on the fight against corruption
- Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating corruption by criminal law
- Webpage on the fight against corruption