Transparency International recently published its newest report focusing on anti-corruption measures in Western Europe and the EU, revealing a worsening situation. This marks the first time in over a decade that corruption perceptions in these regions have deteriorated.
The organization’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) evaluated 180 nations and territories, rating them on a scale from zero (high corruption) to 100 (very clean), based on the perceived levels of public sector corruption. Denmark emerged as the least corrupt nation, followed by Finland and New Zealand.
Despite their high rankings, several established democracies like Sweden (82), the Netherlands (79), Iceland (72), and the United Kingdom (71) have hit their lowest scores in the annual CPI since its inception in 2012.
The report cites the declining regional CPI score in Western Europe and the EU as a sign that European governments must intensify their efforts against corruption and uphold the rule of law. Flora Cresswell, the regional coordinator for Western Europe at Transparency International, emphasized the importance of maintaining checks and balances to prevent corruption. She urged countries to enforce rules more effectively to protect their justice systems from external influences and limit the power of influential groups in politics.
The report indicates that anti-corruption initiatives have either stalled or regressed in more than three-quarters of the countries in the region. The top performers were Denmark (90), Finland (87), and Norway (84), while Hungary (42), Romania (46), and Bulgaria (45) were among the lowest-ranked.
Significant improvements in scores since 2012 were noted in the Czech Republic (57), Estonia (76), Greece (49), Latvia (60), Italy (56), and Ireland (77). Conversely, Austria (71), Luxembourg (78), Sweden (82), and the United Kingdom (71) have seen notable declines since 2015. Poland (54) also experienced a seven-point drop over the past decade, attributed to the previous ruling party’s efforts to centralize power.
Despite high scores, the report suggests that top-ranking countries still struggle with corruption in the public sector, especially in prosecuting companies involved in foreign bribery. It points out a case in the Netherlands (79) where Shell wasn’t prosecuted for a Nigerian oil bribery case.
The report also mentions a proposed EU anti-corruption directive aimed at making demand-side foreign bribery a crime. It notes that while some EU countries have criminalized both sides of foreign bribery, actions against foreign officials are rare.
Notable corruption scandals involving money laundering through banks in Denmark (90), Germany (78), and Sweden (82) highlight the need for a new EU-level anti-money laundering authority.
The report also sheds light on Switzerland’s (82) struggle with its reputation as a money laundering hub for corrupt foreign elites and the proposed legislation to extend anti-money laundering measures to include professionals like lawyers.
Finally, the report calls out the challenges in Ireland (77) and France (71) regarding the accessibility of beneficial ownership registers, highlighting the difficulty in identifying real owners of companies, particularly those holding real estate. This issue of restricted access to company ownership information is a widespread problem across the EU, affecting civil society and journalists.
