“The killing in our streets has a close connection to corruption,” Johansson said, referring to the murder of two investigative reporters, Daphne Caruana Galizia of Malta and Ján Kuciak of Slovakia, as well as the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old girl in Antwerp, who became the victim of a drug war between rival gangs in January. The law would also seek to harmonise statutes of limitations, as short deadlines on prosecuting corruption suspects can stymie cross-border investigations into the most complex cases. The law, which would apply to public institutions and private companies, would also seek to end what EU officials see as “opaque” procedures for lifting immunity from prosecution for certain individuals. Under the proposal, member states would be required to have an anti-corruption agency and cooperate with a revamped EU anti-corruption network. She pledged there would be “significantly higher” minimum punishments for corruption offences. She said member states had defined corruption offences in different ways “so it is an obstacle when it comes to the police cooperation for an investigation … and for prosecution”. “It is really high time that we have more of an EU approach when it comes to anti-corruption,” said the EU’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson. Prison sentences for bribery in the public sector range from three months to 15 years embezzlement in the private sector can lead to time in prison from three months to 20 years.

Meanwhile, punishments vary widely across member states. Not all EU member states criminalise all forms of corrupt behaviour – illicit enrichment is an offence in only eight countries, a gap that leaves many EU countries falling short of UN-defined standards, according to EU officials.

The proposal would establish common definitions of corruption crimes in an effort to make it easier for police to cooperate in cross-border cases, a step seen as crucial in tackling organised crime, as most large criminal gangs are active in three or more countries.

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