Against a backdrop of rising global tensions, Europe’s leadership in fighting corruption and defending democracy and public trust is more important than ever. As negotiations on a new anti-corruption directive progress, the European Union is stepping up with concrete actions—leveraging legal reforms and digital innovation to reinforce the rule of law and institutional integrity. Yet one critical ingredient remains underused: data.
Without comprehensive, cross-border data, efforts to expose hidden corruption networks and address systemic vulnerabilities risk falling short. It is in this context that BridgeGap and the Lisbon Council, convened the high-level roundtable Europe: Guarding Integrity with Data-Driven Action Against Corruption on 5 June 2025 in Brussels.
The policy roundtable brought together leading voices from policy, academia, civil society watchdogs and investigative journalists for an open, cross-sector dialogue on data-driven action against corruption.
Among the distinguished speakers was Victor Negrescu, vice-president of the European Parliament and the first to hold a dedicated mandate on transparency and anti-corruption, who shared insights into the EU’s evolving anti-corruption agenda. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor of Comparative Public Policy at LUISS Guido Carli University, presented key findings from the Upholding Integrity report—an evidence-based analysis of corruption risks across 41 European countries. Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit for Democracy, Anti-Corruption, Union Citizenship and Free Movement, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission, offered an institutional perspective on current policy developments.
Lucio Picci, Professor of Economics at the University of Bologna, examined the market implications of the United States’ pause on foreign bribery enforcement. Kristian Lasslett, Professor of Criminology at Ulster University and researcher at the Institute for Futures Studies, explored the often-hidden role of offshore jurisdictions and professional gatekeepers in facilitating transnational corruption.
The discussion underscored the urgent need to harness data for more effective, transparent, and accountable governance across the European Union and beyond.
The gathering also marked the launch of Upholding Integrity, a new landmark data-rich analysis of corruption risks across 41 European countries.
Read the report here
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