Corruption kills: Renew Europe demands tougher EU anti-corruption rules
The European Parliament today adopted a resolution calling for tougher EU anti-corruption measures, with prevention at the centre of the upcoming EU Anti-Corruption Strategy. Renew Europe has lead the push to make every corruption offence a crime across the EU, with harmonised penalties and strict rules for MEPs and EU officials too. Renew will also spearhead efforts to add corruption to the EU Global Sanctions Regime, the so-called EU-Magnitsky Act. Liberals and Democrats are fighting for transparency and justice, closing the legal gaps in anti-corruption rules across the EU.
Corruption kills economic opportunity, costing the EU up to €990 billion every year. It kills when money meant for safe roads, railways, hospitals and buildings is stolen. And it kills when journalists who expose corruption are murdered to silence them.
"The anti-corruption strategy is key to implementing the Anti-Corruption Directive. Every day we wait with implementation of anti-corruption measures hurts victims. Kuciak, Caruana Galizia, the victims of Tempi, Svoge and Novi Sad: they all had hopes and dreams, and corruption took them away. Corruption is still a daily reality in the European Union. We will never accept that. This isn't just any topic that countries can take time for, people want change now. We will be watching closely to make sure the Commission delivers,"
Raquel García Hermida-Van Der WalleRenew Europe MEP, Netherlands, Democraten 66
said Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle, Renew Europe MEP, rapporteur for the Anti-Corruption Directive, and co-author of the resolution, after the vote.
With today's resolution, the European Parliament calls for stronger prevention and better cooperation between national and EU authorities to investigate and prosecute corruption across borders. Parliament wants to close the loopholes that criminals still exploit. To protect our democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. And to make sure citizens can trust their institutions again. This means stricter rules on public procurement, revolving doors and party funding, strong and independent anti-corruption bodies, an end to golden visas, and the same integrity standards for EU institutions as for Member States. This is part of Renew Europe's continuous efforts for justice, transparency and integrity.