From 1999 to 2014, an estimated $5,4 billion worldwide went to bribes, for a total of over 400 cases of international corruption of which only 207 with a judicial process already concluded. These are the OECD figures contained in a report presented today in Paris by Secretary General Anguel Gurria.
According to the report, the first on the issue that takes stock of the organization's states' ability to deal with the phenomenon, the average value of the bribe is equivalent to 13,8 million dollars, with peaks reaching up to 149 million, with a approximately 10,9% impact on transactions and 34,5% on earnings.
The OECD notes that at the individual state level, the US is leading the fight against corruption with 128 cases concluded and sanctioned, followed by Germany, 26 cases, 11 from Korea, compared to 6 cases reported from Italy, Switzerland and Great Britain.
It is interesting to note that it is above all natural persons, 263 of the total cases, who are accused of corruption compared to about 164 moral cases (total 427). While it is mostly public officials or employees of companies who pay the bribes, in 57% of cases aimed at obtaining a contract. "Corruption undermines growth and development - commented Gurria - and the corrupt must be brought to justice". The OECD therefore focuses on the duration of the trials, approximately 7,3 years, with even complex cases in which some countries have reached 15 years.
The Parisian organization therefore invites the countries to lengthen the prescription times and to make the processes more efficient. In Italy in particular, the average time to arrive at a sentence travels between 6 and 11 years, compared with a 10-year limitation period within which, in most cases, it fails to obtain a judgment. “States – warns the OECD – must strengthen their legislative arsenal and the sanctions must be effective and dissuasive”.
