OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (officially Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions) is a convention of the OECD aimed at reducing corruption in developing countries by encouraging sanctions against bribery in international business transactions carried out by companies based in the Convention member countries. Its goal is to create a truly level playing field in today's international business environment.

History

In 1989, the OECD established ad hoc working group for comparative review of national legislations regarding the bribery of foreign public officials. In 1994, the OECD Ministerial Council adopted the Recommendation of the Council on Bribery in International Business Transactions; the revised recommendation was adopted in 2007. The ad hoc working group was replaced by the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions. The convention was signed on 17 December 1997 and came into force on 15 February 1999.

Principles

Countries that have signed the convention are required to put in place legislation that criminalises the act of bribing a foreign public official. The OECD has no authority to implement the convention, but instead monitors implementation by participating countries. Countries are responsible for implementing laws and regulations that conform to the convention and therefore provide for enforcement. The OECD performs its monitoring function in a two-phased examination process. Phase I consists of a review of legislation implementing the conventions in the member country with the goal of evaluating the adequacy of the laws. Phase 2 assesses the effectiveness with which the legislation is applied.

Members

The Convention is open to accession by any country which is a member of the OECD or has become a full participant in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions. As of March 17, 2012 (2012 -03-17), 39 countries have acceded to the convention:

Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Canada Chile Czech Republic Denmark

Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Italy

Japan Luxembourg Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Poland Portugal Russia Slovakia

Slovenia South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom United States

Colombia is invited to join the working group and to adhere to the convention. Other countries that have participated as observers in the Working Group include China, Peru, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

External links

• OECD Anti-Bribery Convention