Council of the EU adopts a new EU-wide law to combat corruption, harmonising offence definitions and setting common minimum standards for penalties and enforcement across Member States

The law establishes a common framework by harmonising definitions of corruption offences—including bribery in the public and private sectors, misappropriation, trading in influence and obstruction of justice—and setting minimum standards for penalties, including prison terms and corporate fines. It also strengthens prevention and enforcement by improving investigative tools, extending liability to companies and enhancing cross-border cooperation, replacing older EU instruments and requiring…