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EU Anti-Corruption Report

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EU Anti-Corruption Report

Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament

European Commission,

5 min read
5 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

The European Commission tracks the real cost of corruption in the European Union.

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Scientific
  • Overview

Recommendation

Public corruption is always a scourge on society, but when austerity programs like those in the European Union inflict painful cuts on essential services, mismanagement and outright theft of taxpayer money becomes even more striking. While all countries suffer from corruption to some extent, some nations seem more accepting of cronyism, nepotism and other illegal practices than other states. Despite this European Commission paper’s dense bureaucratic style, getAbstract considers it a solid report on the costs, perception and reality of corruption within the EU.

Summary

Despite EU nations’ laws and law enforcement, corruption remains a significant issue. The EU’s overall economy loses €120 billion [$162 billion] to corruption every year, “just a little less than [its] annual budget.” While individual Europeans’ direct experience varies widely, roughly three-quarters of them view corruption as an extensive problem in their home country; one-quarter report personal encounters with corruption. Yet 73% of all EU citizens see bribes and personal contacts as “the easiest way of obtaining certain public services” where they live. ...

About the Author

The European Commission is the executive arm of the European Union.


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