Europees Parlement wil verbreding Europese aanpak fraudebestrijding (en)

MEPs call for EU-wide sanctions against corruption, and urge Member States to make a clear political commitment to enforcing rules to curb it, in a resolution passed on Thursday. Corruption costs the EU economy €120 billion per year, almost as much as the EU's annual budget. The economic crisis in many EU countries makes anti-corruption measures are all the more urgent, it adds.

Parliament urges the Commission to step up the fight against corruption and to bring forward its assessment of anti-corruption efforts in the EU to 2012, sooner than proposed in its anti-corruption package presented in June.

EU wide sanctions

Parliament wants an EU-wide definition of corruption as well as EU-wide sanctions, given its cross-border dimension. It says harmonised rules on the protection of whistleblowers and the criminalisation of illicit enrichment are also needed.

Parliament is also urging the Council to ensure the necessary political commitment, currently lacking in some Member States, to combat corruption and to take measures against it.

Anti-corruption reports

The Commission has promised to draw up new "anti-corruption reports" that give a clear picture of anti-corruption efforts and achievements, but also point out failures and vulnerabilities across the 27 EU Member States and identify trends and weaknesses that need to be addressed.

To fight corruption there should be more openness in financial transactions, especially those involving tax havens, MEPs underline.

Corruption infiltrating politics and media

Parliament calls on all EU institutions and Member States to improve transparency by drawing up codes of conduct or improving existing ones, with, as a minimum, clear rules banning conflicts of interest. They should also take action in "preventing and fighting corruption infiltrating politics and the media, including by enhancing transparency and supervision of financing and funding".

EU citizens see corruption as a serious problem

Four out of five EU citizens see corruption as a serious problem in their Member States, according to a 2009 Eurobarometer survey. In another public consultation, 88% of respondents said that the EU should do more about it.

The resolution was passed with 553 votes in favour, 3 against and 11 abstentions.

Procedure: Non-legislative resolution