Reducing bribery in foreign business transactions helps redirect funds to the policy issues that need them most and build more resilient and inclusive economies in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to levelling the playing field for business by enhancing rule-based competition, builds trust in public and private sector institutions, and encourages responsible corporate behaviour.

The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention was established in 1999 by OECD and partner countries to promote a fair and level playing field for companies around the world. As a legally binding international agreement, the Anti-Bribery Convention requires that its Parties establish the bribery of foreign public officials as a criminal offence under their laws and detect, investigate, prosecute and sanction this offence. It is the only agreement with a focus is on the ‘supply side’, meaning individuals and companies offering, promising or giving the bribe. All 38 OECD countries and 8 non-OECD countries - Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru, Romania, Russia and South Africa - have adopted this Convention. These 46 countries are responsible for over two-thirds of world exports and almost 90% of total foreign direct investment outflows. 

The Convention establishes a stringent peer-review monitoring mechanism to ensure the thorough implementation of the international obligations that countries have taken on under the Convention. This mandatory monitoring is carried out by the OECD Working Group on Bribery with experts from each participating countries serving as examiners. The country monitoring reports contain recommendations formed from rigorous examinations of each country. Transparency International has described this monitoring mechanism as the “gold standard" of monitoring.

Since the inception of the Anti-Bribery Convention in 1999, more than 500 entities have been sanctioned in high-profile cases, leading to lasting change in how businesses behave abroad.

Introduced in 2021, the 2021 Recommendation for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions complements the Anti-Bribery Convention with a view to further strengthening and supporting its implementation. It includes sections on key topics that have emerged or significantly evolved in the anti-corruption area, such as the use of non-trial resolutions in foreign bribery cases, incentivising anti-corruption compliance by companies, and providing comprehensive and effective protection for reporting persons. 

Crises, emerging situations, climate change, new technologies and other situations leading to disruption can create environments prone to new bribery risks. Understanding these risks and sharing insights and best practices on key sectors or situations enables countries to anticipate.

The OECD publishes thematic studies and good practices relevant to the fight against foreign bribery. These studies can be used by researchers, governments, law enforcement authorities and international organisations to improve the effectiveness of anti-bribery policies and measures. Previous thematic reports have focused on corruption and bribery in emergencies and times of crises; preventing corruption in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs); foreign bribery and the role of intermediaries, managers and gender; and bribery in public procurement, to name a few.

In the last decade countries have accelerated their efforts to address transnational corruption to reduce the cost of doing business, promote a level playing field and attract investment. This anti-corruption drive is taking momentum in countries that are not Parties to the OECD Convention, including large exporting economies. The OECD’s global network and outreach on anti-bribery in regions provides a space for dialogue and offer targeted technical assistance and support.