Suche
Mein Konto
EU corruption: Italy blocks important legal reform!
EU fight against corruption faces challenges: Italy's resistance and new proposals from the Commission. Current developments and backgrounds.
EU corruption: Italy blocks important legal reform!
The discussion about corruption in the European Union is becoming increasingly dramatic, especially against the background of numerous scandals such as Qatargate or the recent revelations surrounding the former EU parliamentarian Pier Antonio Panzeri. These events highlight the shortcomings in the fight against corruption at EU level. On June 16, 2025, the adoption of a directive to strengthen the fight against corruption failed during interinstitutional negotiations in Strasbourg, which politicians took as a clarifying sign of the ongoing blockades within the EU. Loud euractiv The Italian government under Giorgia Meloni in particular is a main reason for the failure of this directive. She opposes the inclusion of “abuse of power” as a specific corruption offense.
Germany is also caught in the crossfire of criticism because it does not have a corresponding criminal law, which further complicates the situation. The directive would not only have harmonized sanctions between member states, but also expanded the definition of corruption and strengthened national anti-corruption authorities. “It remains to be seen whether a compromise can be found,” emphasizes MP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle.
Critical background and need for action
The increase in corruption cases within the EU - in recent years alone, numerous high-ranking politicians and officials have been linked to criminal activities - also contradicts the ongoing discussion about the need for concrete measures. According to the surveys of BPB 68% of Europeans see corruption as widespread in their country, with only 31% believing that existing anti-corruption measures are actually effective.
The EU Commission still plans to step up its anti-corruption measures. Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the Commission, has announced that the future focus will be on criminalizing abuse of office. This in turn should help to actively combat corrupt practices not only in the public but also in the private sector. “It is important to create a culture of integrity,” she says in this context, pointing to the planned awareness campaigns.
The direction of reforms
A further challenge is the fact that the proposal to create a European ethics authority has been abandoned for the time being. This came under pressure from the European People's Party, which expressed concerns about its effectiveness and feasibility. In addition, surveys show that many citizens, similar to the EU, see corruption as a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law. This is what the Commission explains that the problems are of a profound nature and lie not only in the legislative periods of the individual member states, but also in the overall strategy of the EU. Corruption is said to cost the EU economy at least 120 billion euros annually.
What happens next? A new round of negotiations is already planned before the end of the month and the Polish Presidency of the Council is hopeful of positive results soon. But the question remains whether these negotiations are based on a real will for change or whether the member states continue to be blocked by national interests. A strong political signal for the future is urgently needed - not only to prevent but also to combat widespread corruption.