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| Corruption is widespread in the EU even in the Netherlands |
The EU Anti-Corruption Report explains the situation
in each Member State: what anti-corruption measures are in place, which
ones are working well, what could be improved and how. National
chapters in English and in national languages are available here: http://ec.europa.eu/anti-corruption-report
The report
shows that both the nature and level of corruption, and the
effectiveness of measures taken to fight it, vary from one Member State
to another. It also shows that corruption deserves greater attention in
all Member States.
Corruption
is taking place in every EU member state from North to South . Even in unsuspected countries like the Netherlands. In the report the
Commission suggests that the Netherlands should focus
some of their efforts also on prosecuting cases of corruption in
international
business transactions, by increasing the capacity to proactively
investigate foreign bribery.
More than three quarters of European citizens, and 61 percent of the
Dutch, agree that corruption is widespread in their home country. Four
percent of Europeans, and two percent of the Dutch, say that they have
been asked or expected to pay a bribe in the past year.
This trend is also illustrated by the results
of a Eurobarometer survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards
corruption published today. The survey shows that three quarters (76%)
of Europeans think that corruption is now widespread and more than half
(56%) think that the level of corruption in their country has increased
over the past three years. One out of twelve Europeans (8%) say they
have experienced or witnessed a case of corruption in the past year.
Eurobarometer results are available here.
"Corruption
undermines citizens' confidence in democratic institutions and the rule
of law, it hurts the European economy and deprives States from
much-needed tax revenue. Member States have done a lot in recent years
to fight corruption, but today’s Report shows that it is far from
enough. The Report suggests what can be done, and I look forward to
working with Member States to follow it up", said Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.
"Being
a politician has unfortunately also become a profitable business
opportunity for many of our European political elite, including some of
our very own here in Holland. Instead of serving their constituents they
are in politics to enrich themselves", said a housewife in the town of
Almere in the Netherlands
Read more: EUROPA - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Commission unveils first EU Anti-Corruption report
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