The anti-corruption proposals presented today represent a milestone in the fight against corruption at national and EU level.
Today, the Commission is taking decisive action to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide, delivering on the commitment made by President von der Leyen in her 2022 State of the Union address.
The anti-corruption proposals presented today represent a milestone in the fight against corruption at national and EU level. The Commission will step up its action: building on measures in place, strengthening efforts to integrate the prevention of corruption into the design of EU policies and programs, and actively supporting Member States' work to put in place strong anti-corruption policies and legislation. Through its annual Rule of Law Report cycle, the Commission also monitors anti-corruption developments at national level, identifies challenges and issues of recommendations to Member states.
Today's set of measures include new and strengthened rules criminalising corruption offences and harmonising penalties across the EU, as well as a proposal from the High Representative, supported by the Commission, to establish a dedicated Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) sanctions regime to target serious acts of corruption worldwide. These new measures place a strong focus on prevention and creating a culture of integrity, in which corruption is not tolerated and at the same time, strengthen enforcement tools.
Key elements of today's proposals:
I. Communication on the fight against corruption
In a Joint Communication, the Commission and the High Representative bring together existing work and develop new directions and new tools at both EU and Member State level, also feeding into a clear commitment to tackling corruption at the global level. An EU network against corruption, bringing together law enforcement, public authorities, practitioners, civil society and other stakeholders, will act as a catalyst for corruption prevention across the EU and will develop best practices and practical guidance. One key task of the Network will be to support the Commission to map common areas where corruption risks are high across the EU. The work of the Network will feed into an EU anti-corruption strategy, to be developed in consultation with the European Parliament and the Council, to maximise the impact and coherence of EU actions.
Within the EU institutions there is a zero tolerance towards corruption. The Communication details the ethical, integrity and transparency rules in place to prevent corruption within the EU institutions. This framework must not only be applied with rigour and consistency, but also be continually updated.
II. Stronger rules to fight corruption
The Commission is proposing a new Directive on combating corruption. The proposal modernises the existing EU anti-corruption legal framework by:...
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