Concept paper Nr. 2 : Supporting Anti-Corruption Reform in Partner Countries - Concepts, Tools and Areas for Action (FULL VERSION)

The main objective of this paper is to provide relevant insights on the current thinking on and around anti-corruption in developing countries in order to enable the EU staff (relevant staff at the Commission, EEAS and in EU Delegations) to achieve the following:

• Acquire useful tools to analyse corruption in a given local setting;
• Become better equipped to support the implementation of anti-corruption strategies and policies; and
• Better identify relevant anti-corruption measures so as to better mainstreaming anti-corruption issues in EU development assistance.

This concept paper therefore aims to help EU staff understand the complexities of corruption and the various approaches most often taken in fighting it. Given the significant concern over corruption within various sectors of the EU development assistance, it has been developed to better inform all EU staff—but most particularly those working on governance— of the current issues, thinking and research concerning corruption and anti-corruption. It has been designed in a way that enables readers to dip in and out as needed, but it is strongly recommended that it is read in order if possible. As Chapter One makes clear, for example, it is impossible to analyse the country context using political economy analysis (PEA) if a basic understanding of what constitutes corruption in different contexts is not shared.

This concept note does not attempt to provide a general or broad-spectrum remedy for corruption; rather it is intended to enhance the understanding of EU staff, providing them with the analytical and assessment frameworks that will help them implement context-specific anti-corruption activities. There is indeed no ‘one size fits all’ process for dealing with corruption; appropriate solutions must always be grounded in local, context-specific understanding.