Transparency international progress report 2006

Abstract

"This is the second TI Progress Report on OECD Convention Enforcement and examines the enforcement performance of 31 of the 36 countries that have ratified the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials. The previous report, was issued on 7 March 2005 and covered 24 countries. TI's progress reports are intended to provide an annual assessment of government performance. Enforcement of the OECD Convention is crucially important to the fight against international corruption. Most major multinational companies have their headquarters in signatory states and effective enforcement would significantly reduce the supply side of international corruption. The report is based on information provided by TI national experts in each country, who are highly qualified professionals selected by TI National Chapters (Appendix A lists TI experts and their qualifications.) They responded to a questionnaire (Appendix B), after consulting with government officials and other knowledgeable persons in their country. They were aided in their work by the valuable Phase I and Phase II country reports prepared by the OECD Working Group on Bribery in the course of its reviews of government compliance with the Convention.1 There are seven new countries covered in this report that were not included last year. The table which follows lists foreign bribery prosecutions and investigations for 2006 and 2005 for the 31 participating countries. Section I summarises TI's key findings. Section II analyses progress and shortcomings in national enforcement. Section III assesses government efforts to overcome obstacles to enforcement. Section IV provides TI's recommendations.