Our extensive knowledge at your fingertips

Latest editions

Search

Basel’s latest blog warns of rising corruption and financial crime in Europe, driven by digital tech and organised crime, while stressing the challenges with asset recovery

April 23, 2025

In their recent reports, both institutions emphasize the rising risks associated with illicit financial activities and the challenges posed by increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. They stress the need for enhanced efforts in asset recovery, urging innovative approaches to confiscating criminal assets. This includes utilizing advanced technologies, improving regulatory frameworks…

GRECO Compliance report emphasise Spain’s sluggish progress in implementing anti-corruption reforms, noting significant transparency gaps in Govt and Law enforcement

April 16, 2025

Despite some steps forward, Spain is under a non-compliance procedure for its slow progress, particularly in areas like financial disclosure, lobbying, and revolving doors. GRECO calls for tailored reforms, stronger conflict of interest oversight, and improvements in corruption prevention within law enforcement and judicial bodies…

FALCON’s 2025 Brief exposes grand corruption’s spread, with bribery in 89% of border cases and 67% of procurement scandals, fueling embezzlement, fraud, and cross-border ML, urging global reforms

April 9, 2025

The FALCON project has released a policy brief dissecting major corruption schemes—like public procurement fraud, border bribery, and sanctions evasion—and their societal costs across Europe. It offers new risk indicators and urges better data interoperability, stronger legal safeguards, and harmonized EU-wide anti‑corruption measures…

GRECO’s Compliance report praises Sweden’s transparency efforts but urges stronger conflict-of-interest rules, stricter enforcement, and improved Police oversight with whistleblower training

April 3, 2025

Report also identifies need for a strategy to address “friendship corruption” and conflicts of interest. It also commends Sweden’s transparency policies and the new law on ministers’ transition to the private sector but calls for more effective mechanisms for monitoring financial declarations, enforcement of rules, and a consolidated code of conduct for the Police Authority, alongside better whistleblower protection training…

OLAF uncovers a massive EU fraud scheme, leading to the conviction of 9 MEPs for embezzlement related to fictitious employment, with over €420K recovered for the EU budget

April 2, 2025

The investigations revealed serious irregularities and focused on the fictitious employment of individuals falsely listed as parliamentary assistants despite never having worked for the European Parliament. In one instance, for example, the evidence gathered revealed that an assistant had been paid by the European Parliament without ever providing support to the MEP in parliamentary offices as required. Instead, this individual lived near Paris and worked for the political party exclusively…

OECD’s Phase 4 report on Belgium welcomes legal reforms but flags weak foreign bribery enforcement, urging more resources, clearer guidance, and stronger corporate awareness

March 25, 2025

Report commends legislative improvements like extended statutes of limitations and stronger corporate liability but highlights weak enforcement, with only three convictions since Phase 3. OECD calls for enhanced resources, clearer guidelines, and better corporate awareness to strengthen the effectiveness of foreign bribery investigations and prosecutions…

GRECO recognises Albania’s notable progress in its Compliance report, with Govt integrity and law enforcement reforms but notes challenges with lobbying regulations and police independence

March 21, 2025

Albania has made particularly good progress with government integrity and law enforcement reforms. However, challenges remain in areas such as lobbying regulations, police independence, and post-employment restrictions, requiring further action…

GRECO initiates its 6th Evaluation Round on sub-national corruption prevention and integrity, starting with Estonia and Slovakia, involving 96 evaluators from 45 member states

March 20, 2025

Estonia and the Slovak Republic will be evaluated for their national and sub-national systems, anti-corruption policies, and the effectiveness of integrity measures, with a focus on transparency, oversight, and accountability mechanisms…

UK SFO, France PNF, and Switzerland OAG launches new taskforce on international bribery and corruption, designed to strengthen cooperation, cross-border investigations, and enforcement

March 20, 2025

The International Anti-Corruption Prosecutorial Taskforce aims to strengthen cooperation, facilitate joint investigations, and share expertise among the 3 nations seeking to enhance partnerships, improve case efficiency, and expand collaboration. The taskforce also plans to invite other agencies to join its efforts against international bribery…

Basel Institute research unveils major corruption risks in Ukraine’s forestry sector, proposes solutions for transparency and reform

March 18, 2025

The research highlights key issues such as inadequate transparency in timber sales, excessive discretion in forest user rights, and conflict of interest between regulatory and business functions. Recommendations include improving forest permit procedures, enhancing transparency with timber data, and resuming environmental control activities…

Global Witness condemns move by Azerbaijan authorities to shut down BBC Baku bureau

February 20, 2025

Global Witness has condemned Azerbaijan’s forced closure of the BBC’s Baku office, following verbal orders from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. This comes after the BBC covered a Global Witness investigation at COP29, exposing Azerbaijan’s Deputy Energy Minister for facilitating fossil fuel deals.

GRECO concludes that Ukraine has fully implemented 18 of 31 anti-corruption recommendations for MPs, judges, and prosecutors, recognising its strong commitment amid challenging times