Tag Archives | France
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OGP: France must do more to tackle corruption

Opening up government data to fight corruption has been a stated aim for many Open Government Partnership members. When data is open by default information is easier to work with, investigate, understand and leverage to combat corruption. With open data, released according to agreed standards, people have a key means to hold their institutions and […]

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New whistleblower protection law in France not yet fit for purpose

Michel Sapin, the French Minister of Finance, promised to deliver a comprehensive anti-corruption law that included protection for those courageous enough to speak out against corruption and malpractice. The minister set the bar high when he said that the law should “cover all possible situations… and here, I obviously think of situations like the one […]

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Waiving immunity lets those in power be held to account

In late March, a French court ordered an investigation into alleged abuses of power by IMF chief Christine Lagarde during her time as a French finance minister and her involvement in the payment of compensation to businessman Bernard Tapie. Investigators opened an inquiry into possible charges of “complicity to embezzlement of public funds” and “complicity […]

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What NGOs can do to make sure politicians are clean

French politicians will today vote on a law on “transparency in public life”. The law will oblige politicians to publish declarations of interests, although it looks like asset declarations will only be registered with public authorities. Asset declaration rules have been introduced in many countries as a way to enhance transparency and integrity as well […]

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L’affaire Cahuzac: a stain on Hollande’s integrity agenda or a wake-up call?

After four months of denial, Jérôme Cahuzac, former Minister of Budget, finally admitted he had a Swiss bank account in his name, transferred to Singapore in 2009, containing close to €600,000. He has now been placed under investigation over alleged laundering of tax-fraud money. This scandal – which is shaking the French political class and […]

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Prosecuting transnational corruption: France in the dock

The OECD has accused France of not responding effectively to the problem of international corruption. The third monitoring report on France’s implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention did cite some progress: efforts have been taken to make businesses aware of the need to fight corruption and implement corruption prevention measures. But the rest of the […]

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Please mind your own business, France!

“Our country is a good student when it comes to passing laws. What is missing is their implementation because of the lack of political will” says Daniel Lebègue, chair of Transparence France. One of the world’s biggest exporters, France is not doing nearly enough to fight and prevent foreign bribery, say the OECD’s and Transparency […]

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Will Britain tackle tax evasion?

317 Pressure on what are alternatively called ‘offshore havens’, ‘tax havens305’ or ‘secrecy jurisdictions’ is reaching an unprecedented level. There are more than fifty such havens world wide, and governments are finally coming around to the idea voiced by activists that tougher regulation is needed. The economic crisis has lent urgency to the cause. Britain’s […]

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Foreign bribes in the Middle East & North Africa – Not just a regional problem

Recovery of stolen assets is a prime concern for Arab governments at the moment but what role did multinationals play in bribing former corrupt officials? A six month joint investigation published this week in British papers revealed that the country’s authorities have not been proactive in seizing key assets by the former Egyptian president Hosni […]

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A new era of integrity for France?

Only about two weeks after Nicolas Sarkozy lost his presidential immunity, police searched his home and office to look for evidence to support allegations of illicit political financing, in the context of the famous “Bettencourt case”, one of the many “affaires” to shake French political life. What matters is not the few instances of misconduct […]

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