On Thursday 26 March, the European Parliament endorsed the deal with the Council of the European Union on the first directive harmonising the fight against corruption in the European Union by 581 votes to 21 with 42 abstentions.
This ‘confirmation’ vote followed on from the interinstitutional negotiations that concluded last December (see EUROPE 13764/5) and seals a common criminal law framework for the EU27 to close the legal loopholes exploited by ‘white collar criminals’. The text thus establishes uniform definitions for offences such as trading in influence, illicit enrichment and embezzlement. One major advance concerns the extension of limitation periods, a key demand from practitioners to ensure that these offences can be investigated over the long term.
Despite the broad consensus, shadow rapporteur Mariusz Kamiński (ECR, Poland) deplored the fact that the text “does not adequately address the EU institutions”, citing the absence of a public assets declaration requirement for EU officials. Although his group voted in favour of the text, he said it was merely a “ first step” that was insufficient in the wake of the ‘Qatargate’ scandal. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)