The EU is showing it is still able to tackle corruption head-on, despite years of backsliding and stagnation on the rule of law.
Last week, negotiators agreed on the EU’s first-ever directive to lay down clear and consistent definitions of corruption offences. This is the first EU-wide legislation to counter corruption, closing loopholes and raising standards across Europe.
There was previously no common standard for European countries, which was a major political obstacle during negotiations. For the first time in years, the EU has showed it can still push forward with rule of law initiatives.
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle MEP (D66, NL):
“Tonight we achieved a breakthrough for citizens expecting the EU to look after their tax money, for businesses who need clear rules to operate across the EU, for everyone who cares about reliable politics and the rule of law. Parliament entered these negotiations with ambition and we got a win for Europe – and we will be prepared to go further when the member states are ready to take the next steps.”
The new directive requires governments to outline national anti-corruption strategies and implement harmonised definitions of corruption offences. States will work closer with national and EU authorities as well as produce annual reports on corruption.