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EU agencies face long summer cooling off

You have never heard of them, but they assess the safety of the food you eat, the water you bathe in and the drugs your doctor prescribes. Welcome to the world of European Union agencies – independent, arms-length bodies established by the EU to provide specialist advice and expertise to policy makers on a wide […]

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Ireland: Political leaders need to tackle fundamental governance gaps which enable corruption and undermine our economic stability

It is no coincidence that countries suffering most from the European debt crisis also have major problems with corruption. While international indicators suggest that corruption is less pervasive in Ireland than, say, Greece or Spain, its ravaging impact on public finances is just as tangible. Corruption has played a starring role in our home-grown crisis. […]

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Greece: corruption and the crisis

Last month, Greeks went to the polls after two years of ceaseless crisis. After a vote that showed their frustration with the old regime and their desire for change, the question now should be how to tackle the rampant corruption that has driven a wedge between a people and their leaders. One answer is transparency. […]

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Who owns what? Trying to clean dirty money in the EU

How do you fancy owning two Bugatti Veyrons, the fastest and priciest street car in the world, with a top speed of 250mph and a cost of €1m a pop? Or how about splashing out €18m on art formally owned by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent? How about affording all of this on your […]

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Will the fruits of Africa’s commodity boom be lost to corruption?

As the prices of oil and other non-renewable commodities begin to soar once again, anti-corruption activists from DR Congo, Ghana, Liberia and Zimbabwe were in Brussels last week with the message that there is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get their economies on a sustainable development path, a path that has been blocked by corruption in […]

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Are German Lawmakers Finally Listening to the Whistles?

The following was written by Mark Worth, Transparency International’s Whistleblower Programme Coordinator, and Christian Humborg, Managing Director of Transparency International Germany. In a country where whistleblowers have helped expose poor care in a nursing home, dioxin-laden livestock feed, inadequate emergency services in hospitals, rotten meat, and mad-cow disease, one would think – and certainly hope […]

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Corruption on the rise in Europe

A public opinion survey finds that corruption is a major problem across the European Union. The survey was published today by the European Commission. Two – thirds of Europeans believe corruption is a major problem in their country. Corruption continues to be one of the most important challenges facing Europe, harming the integrity of the […]

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‘We Have To Fight Corruption, Or It Will Defeat Us’

Transparency International’s Chair, Huguette Labelle, was interviewed by Benjamin Kessler for the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act blog. She talks about what she would change about the FCPA, why companies should make compliance a priority and the possibility that countries which score low on the Corruption Perceptions Index are hit hardest in the European debt crisis. […]

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Tackling corruption across the EU: The EU as global anti-corruption actor

The wave of popular revolts that have swept North Africa and the Middle East show that the EU cannot ignore the existence of pervasive corruption beyond its borders. Its role in setting corporate standards and the linking of its trade and development policies can have a direct effect on the fight against corruption and improve […]

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Tackling corruption across the EU: Eliminating waste and corruption in EU funds – the role of public procurement

In considering all the actors involved in procurement misconduct, the FIEC-EIC`s Uwe Krenz noted the expression ‘it takes two to tango,’ adding “I will increase the two to three or four… but I don`t know what dance that is.” This plenary panel examined each of these actors (or dancers) in turn, proposing some innovative strategies […]

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