European Parliament greenlights the first EU-wide anti-corruption directive
On 26 March 2026 the European Parliament endorsed the deal with the Council on the first directive harmonising the fight against corruption across the EU, by 581 votes to 21 with 42 abstentions. In the causal graph this event strengthens Anti-corruption enforcement capacity, a driver that strengthens Corruption Perceptions Index — Georgia — an improving welfare path.
Read the full account
On 26 March 2026 the European Parliament endorsed the deal with the Council on the first directive harmonising the fight against corruption across the EU, by 581 votes to 21 with 42 abstentions. The text, provisionally agreed in December 2025, harmonises definitions and penalties for corruption offences and requires member states to establish or designate independent specialised anti-corruption bodies, which will then have 24 months to transpose it into national law.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
European Parliament
OrganizationDirect responsibility
verified
Adopting binding, harmonised anti-corruption law across the bloc is a major beneficial governance step.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactEuropean Parliament greenlights the first EU-wide anti-corruption directive
- strengthensDriverAnti-corruption enforcement capacity
- strengthensIndicators (4)Corruption Perceptions Index — Georgia
impact weight 0.8 · Effect from 26 March 2026 · verified
Binding EU-wide harmonised offences, penalties and mandatory specialised bodies substantially strengthen enforcement capacity.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.64 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.8)
Observed
50 index score (0-100) · at the normal line (2025)
At normalAbove normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.48 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.6)
Observed
42.5 index score (0-100) · 7.53 below the normal line (2025)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.32 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.4)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
All indicators on this path (4)
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.24 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.3)
Observed
0.57 index score (0-1) · 0.23 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.5 index score (0-1) to 0.57 index score (0-1).
Above normal = better
- FactEuropean Parliament greenlights the first EU-wide anti-corruption directive
- weakensDriverState capture pressure
- weakensIndicators (4)Corruption Perceptions Index — Georgia
impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 26 March 2026 · verified
Common rules against trading-in-influence and misappropriation reduce avenues for partisan or private capture of the state.
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.35 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.7)
Observed
50 index score (0-100) · at the normal line (2025)
At normalAbove normal = better
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.33 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.65)
Observed
42.5 index score (0-100) · 7.53 below the normal line (2025)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.57 index score (0-1) · 0.23 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.5 index score (0-1) to 0.57 index score (0-1).
Above normal = better
All indicators on this path (4)
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorEuropean Parliament
- contributed toFactEuropean Parliament greenlights the first EU-wide anti-corruption directive
- strengthensDrivers (2)Anti-corruption enforcement capacity
- strengthensIndicatorCorruption Perceptions Index — Georgia
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). European Parliament greenlights the first EU-wide anti-corruption directive. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/gov-fact-eu-anti-corruption-directive-parliament-2026
https://factrail.ai/facts/gov-fact-eu-anti-corruption-directive-parliament-2026
Accessed 15 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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