Romania is in the "top three" most corrupt countries in the EU and in first place in the ranking of bribery in the European Union, according to Transparency International

Romania continues to be perceived as one of the most corrupt countries in the European Union, with a score of 45 points out of 100, according to the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) report published by Transparency International. Only Bulgaria and Hungary have lower scores, both with 40 points.

Romania has recorded a stagnation in the perception of corruption, with an increase of only one point compared to 2012. In contrast, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are at the top of the ranking, benefiting from effective leadership and independent institutions. The EU average is 62 points, and progress in the fight against corruption has stagnated in the last decade.

The CPI measures corruption in the public sector of 182 countries, and strong democracies have an average score of 71 points, while fragile democracies only achieve 47 points. This situation underscores the need for more effective measures in combating corruption.