The European Parliament has approved the EU’s first bloc-wide criminal law framework on corruption, setting common definitions, tougher sanctions and stronger prevention duties for member states. The rules also require national anti-corruption strategies, better data sharing and closer cooperation with EU bodies, with the Council still needing formal adoption before the law enters into force.
The European Parliament has adopted the EU’s first harmonised anti-corruption directive, which covers offences such as bribery, misappropriation, obstruction of justice and illicit enrichment, and sets new minimum standards for sanctions and enforcement. The law also obliges member states to update national anti-corruption strategies, conduct risk assessments and strengthen cooperation with OLAF, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Europol and Eurojust.
Parliament backs new rules
As reported by the European Parliament in its press room, MEPs adopted the directive on Thursday with 581 votes in favour, 21 against and 42 abstentions. The Parliament said the package establishes a harmonised criminal law framework to prevent and combat corruption across the EU, after a provisional agreement with the Council in December 2025.
The Parliament said the new rules set common definitions of corruption offences, including bribery, misappropriation, obstruction of justice, trading in influence, unlawful exercise of functions, illicit enrichment linked to corruption, concealment and private-sector corruption. It added that the directive also harmonises rules on sanctions, so that maximum penalties in national law cannot be too low.
Common offences and penalties
According to the European Parliament, the new framework is meant to close enforcement gaps, especially in cross-border cases, by aligning legal definitions and introducing structured sanction levels. Member states will still be able to apply stricter rules if they choose, but the EU-wide baseline is intended to stop a “race to the bottom” on penalties.
The Parliament also said the directive strengthens cooperation among national authorities and EU institutions, including OLAF, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Europol and Eurojust. Member states must publish comparable, machine-readable data every year to improve transparency and evidence-based policymaking.
Prevention duties for member states
As reported by the European Parliament, the directive requires each member state to adopt and regularly update a national anti-corruption strategy, with civil society involved in the process. Governments will also have to carry out risk assessments and maintain robust systems on conflicts of interest, political financing transparency and integrity standards.
The Parliament said that dedicated and sufficiently independent bodies must be in place to prevent and address corruption. The aim is not only punishment after wrongdoing, but also stronger prevention before corruption takes hold in public institutions and political systems.
Political message from lawmakers
The Parliament quoted its lead MEP, Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle of Renew Europe, as saying:
“This law is historic. Corruption has caused journalists to be silenced, citizens to be killed, and lives cut short. Behind every statistic is a name, a story, and a future denied. Corruption also drains billions from our economies, erodes trust in government, and undermines democracy itself. Left unchecked, it threatens the very foundation of our Union. This law is about defending Europe at its core and delivering for our citizens.”
Renew Europe also welcomed the vote, saying the law delivers tougher sanctions, stronger prevention and greater protection for citizens and journalists across Europe. The group said the new standards should help ensure that corruption does not decide who gets a job, a permit or justice.
Background to the directive
The European Parliament said the Commission presented an anti-corruption package on 3 May 2023, and that the text is based on Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It described corruption as an area of
“particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension”
and said the package was designed to both prevent and counter corruption.
The Parliament also cited Eurobarometer findings showing that 69% of Europeans believe corruption is widespread in their country, while 66% think high-level corruption cases are not pursued sufficiently. Those figures were included in the Parliament’s background material to explain why the new directive was presented as necessary.
What happens next
The directive still has to be formally adopted by the Council before it enters into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Member states will then have 24 months to transpose the law into national legislation, while the provisions on risk assessments and national strategies allow 36 months.
In practical terms, the new rules create the first common EU criminal-law baseline for corruption offences, while leaving room for national governments to go further. The Parliament said this is intended to make the bloc better prepared for both domestic and cross-border corruption cases.
Wider policy context
The anti-corruption vote comes as the European Commission has also launched work on a forthcoming EU Anti-Corruption Strategy. The Commission opened an eight-week public consultation and call for evidence on 10 May 2026, with submissions accepted until 6 July 2026.
The Commission said the strategy will build on existing EU legislation covering areas such as protection of the EU’s financial interests, anti-money laundering, whistleblower protection, public procurement, and asset recovery and confiscation. It also said the strategy will complement the EU Network against Corruption and a review of the EU Anti-Fraud Architecture, while building on the annual Rule of Law cycle.
Public trust and democratic stakes
Supporters of the directive say corruption weakens trust in institutions, distorts competition and undermines democracy, which is why they see the law as both a criminal justice measure and a political signal. Renew Europe said the new framework is meant to prevent safe havens for corruption and to restore confidence in public systems.
Transparency International EU said the adoption of the directive was an important step towards harmonising anti-corruption rules across the Union, although it argued the final text still falls short in areas such as victims’ rights, preventive measures and strong corporate liability. It said EU countries now have two years to transpose the directive and three years to adopt comprehensive national anti-corruption strategies.
Source attributions used
As reported by the European Parliament, the directive was adopted with 581 votes in favour, 21 against and 42 abstentions, and it introduces common definitions, harmonised penalties and new prevention obligations. As reported by the Parliament’s lead MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle, the law is intended to defend Europe “at its core” and protect citizens from the damage caused by corruption.
As reported by Renew Europe, the law is designed to give investigators clearer legal tools and stronger penalties, while improving protection for citizens and journalists. As reported by Transparency International EU, the directive is a historic step, but one that still leaves important gaps in prevention and accountability.
