Bribery and Anti-Corruption: Optimism in a Difficult Climate

Winston & Strawn Paris-based attorneys Jérôme Herbet and Sara Susnjar wrote an article titled “Bribery and Anti-corruption: Optimism in a Difficult Climate,” published in the 2016 Second Quarter edition of Lexis Nexis’ The MENA Business Law Review.

Bribery and corruption are growing concerns not just for individuals, but for governments and all types of businesses in all jurisdictions. Recent findings by Transparency International indicate that (i) two-thirds of the 168 countries listed in its Index scored below 50 on a scale from 0 (considered highly corrupt) to 100 (considered very clean); and (ii) 50 million adults in the Middle East and North Africa region have to pay bribes to access the basic services that they need. What complicates the issue is that no real international anti-corruption law or standard exists. Countries define the bribery and corruption by their own laws and legislations, often using different concepts and different terms (whether common law or civil law). However, despite the difficult climate, studies also indicate that there is hope.