Workshop on anticorruption and integrity research

On 22 November 2023 researchers, policy makers, practitioners and civil society met to discuss how ongoing anti-corruption research projects can lead to new and enhanced tools to prevent, detect and fight corruption. As part of the Community of European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS), the participants of this workshop, which aims to build upon existing research and identify synergies between ongoing projects, exchanged good practices enhancing their work, such as bringing stakeholders together to build trust and improve cooperation.

European Commission representatives presented the 2023 anti-corruption package. Aside from proposing an important update to the criminal law regarding corruption in the EU, it also establishes the EU network against corruption as a key platform for stepping up efforts in the fight against corruption. The Commission is currently working on mapping high-risk sectors for corruption by 2024. Insights from research and inputs from researchers are key to identify emerging trends.

Outlining new projects and tools to fight corruption

The first panel discussed “Tools and Approaches to Preventing Corruption”. Prevention covers a broad spectrum, ranging from support to national authorities implementing relevant integrity reforms to informing the general public and young people about corruption and integrity. Panellists presented the Erasmus+ project “Empowering YOUth to build MONITORial communities against corruption”. They highlighted the challenges of explaining what corruption entails to young people and how individuals can fight it in their daily life. The project under the Technical Support Instrument, “Leveraging behavioural Sciences to foster Integrity”, brings together behavioural analysis to prevent corruption in the health sector, which is identified as high-risk.

Participants also discussed the “Detection and investigation of corruption crimes.” They presented projects with a specific focus on the role of Information and Communication Technologies (TRACE, POSEIDON, DIGIWHIST). POSEIDON looks at corruption vulnerabilities and risks in seaports, and brings stakeholders together for enhanced cooperation. Building upon DIGIWHIST, which identifies the risky areas of public procurement, the new project iMONITOR enables citizens to monitor ongoing procurement procedures and report suspected corruption to law enforcement. Moreover, representatives of the EU Anti-Fraud Office, presented the robust EU legal framework and results of OLAF in detecting and investigating corruption and other serious misconduct by members and staff of the EU institutions.

A specific panel was devoted to “New and emerging challenges related to corruption”. This included recent research on political party financing (PFCorr), highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of financing political parties with public funds, as well as issues relating to green corruption, in particular waste management and wildlife trafficking. Additionally, participants were presented the newly launched FALCON project, which seeks to gather data, assess risks and bring forward innovative solutions to aid in the fight against corruption and organised crime.

Background information

The workshop gathers in one place projects funded under several EU programmes, notably Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Internal Security Fund, Technical Support Instrument (TSI), Erasmus+ and ERC.

Next year, the European Commission will map funding opportunities in the anti-corruption and integrity field to ensure coherence and contribute to the visibility of research in the area.

For more information on security research and CERIS:

Community of European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS)

DG HOME’s page on anti-corruption initiatives

EU network against corruption