European Commission proposes stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide

On 3 May, the European Commission proposed an anti-corruption package consisting of a new Directive on fighting corruption and an expansion of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) toolbox of restrictive measures (sanctions) to cover serious acts of corruption.

“We send a clear message that the EU is not open for business to those who engage with corruption,  wherever it occurs,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell said. “We do a lot already in our external action to prevent and fight corruption.”

According to Borrell, in its Eastern Neighbourhood, the EU is working together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to prevent corruption by supporting the reform of public administration and public financial management. The EU is also providing support to civil society, to the media, to whistle-blowers, and human rights defenders. 

Josep Borrell also proposed to complement the CFSP toolbox with a dedicated sanctions regime to fight serious acts of corruption worldwide. He said that with this new sanctions regime, the European Union “could ban perpetrators of acts of corruption from entering the European Union, freeze perpetrators’ assets in the European Union and prohibit any EU person from making funds and economic resources available to perpetrators.”

The Commission’s proposal should then be considered by the member states at the EU Council.

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Press release

Questions and Answers: Stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide