Fighting corruption at global level

The EU as a supranational organisation has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2008. UNCAC is the only international anti-corruption instrument legally binding on signatory states, including the EU and its Member States.

In June 2021, at the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on corruption, the EU launched its UNCAC implementation review mechanism. Under it, the EU needs to prepare a self-assessment on the effective implementation of the Convention. This process is led by the European Commission (DG HOME) in close cooperation with all relevant EU institutions and relevant EU agencies and bodies. The EU is in a unique position as the only non-state actor, member of this Convention, and the first of its kind to undergo such review. In September 2022, the European Commission presented the EU’s self-assessment under the first round of the implementation review of the UNCAC to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime. Exchanges with the UN Office for Drugs and Crime and the country reviewers are ongoing, and a country visit was organised in autumn 2023. Exchanges with the UN Office for Drugs and Crime and the country reviewers are ongoing, and a country visit was organised from 13 to 15 November 2023 in Brussels. A session was organised for a direct exchange between civil society and the reviewers, and to facilitate engagement with all stakeholders.

The UN Convention against corruption includes a non-exhaustive list of types of corruption in a series of provisions aimed at criminalising corruption, including private sector corruption. These types of corruption-related crimes are listed in Chapter III of UNCAC as follows:

• Bribery of national and foreign public officials and officials of public international organisations (Articles 15 and 16)
• Embezzlement, misappropriation or other diversion of property by a public official (Article 17)
• Trading in influence (Article 18)
• Abuse of functions (Article 19)
• Illicit enrichment (Article 20)
• Bribery in the private sector (Article 21)
• Embezzlement of property in the private sector (Article 22)
• Laundering of proceeds of crime (Article 23)
• Concealment (Article 24)
• Obstruction of Justice (Article 25)

On 3 May 2023, the Commission updated its EU legislative framework on the fight against corruption to bring it in line with the UN Convention Against Corruption. For more information see here.