The Council of the European Union has adopted a new directive to combat corruption, harmonizing the definitions of offenses and establishing minimum penalties for member states.

The Council of the European Union has adopted a directive aimed at combating corruption, harmonizing the definitions of offenses and establishing minimum penalties for individuals and companies.

The new directive replaces the legislation from 2003 and the convention from 1997, updating the European anti-corruption legislative framework. Among the included offenses are bribery, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice.

Penalties for individuals can range from 3 to 5 years in prison, while companies can be fined 3%-5% of their turnover or fixed amounts between 24 and 40 million euros.

The directive emphasizes the importance of prevention, requiring member states to create specialized bodies to promote integrity. It also aligns with international standards, including UNCAC.

The directive will come into force 20 days after publication, and member states have 24 months to transpose it into national legislation.

This reform also aims to reduce discrepancies between national legal systems and to build a framework for prevention and compliance at the Union level.