European Parliament adopts position on anti-corruption directive

The European Parliament adopted on 26 March 2026 its position at first reading on the proposal for a directive on combating corruption, replacing Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA and the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or of Member States, and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1371. The legislative resolution was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C series, C/2026/4041, of 2 September 2026.

The text, tabled by the European Commission as COM(2023)0234 (procedure 2023/0135(COD)), was negotiated under the ordinary legislative procedure. Because an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament’s position corresponds to the final legislative act, Directive (EU) 2026/1021.

Legal basis and procedure

The proposal rests on Article 82(1)(d) and Article 83(1) and (2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which give the Union competence to establish minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of corruption. The European Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on 25 October 2023 and the Committee of the Regions on 29 November 2023.

The Council representative gave its undertaking to approve Parliament’s position by letter of 10 December 2025, in accordance with Article 294(4) TFEU. The report was prepared by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A9-0048/2024), with an opinion from the Committee on Budgetary Control.

Subsidiarity concerns

Two national parliaments submitted reasoned opinions under Protocol No 2 on subsidiarity and proportionality, asserting that the draft legislative act did not comply with the principle of subsidiarity:

• the Swedish Parliament;
• the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

Scope and next steps

The directive tightens the fight against corruption in both the public and private sectors of the Member States, updating the framework set by the 2003 Council Framework Decision and the 1997 Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials. It also amends Directive (EU) 2017/1371 on the protection of the Union’s financial interests.

Parliament instructed its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments, and called on the Commission to refer the matter back to Parliament if it substantially amends its proposal.

The publication confirms the completion of the first-reading agreement, giving Member States a modernised and harmonised legal basis to prosecute corruption across the Union. For citizens and businesses, the new directive means more consistent criminal standards and stronger enforcement against bribery in both the public administration and the private sector.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, C series, C/2026/4041, 2 September 2026 (official reference: C/2026/4041; Directive (EU) 2026/1021).