Australia
Bribery laws in Australia are divided into three categories: Bribery involving Commonwealth and international public officials; bribery involving state government public officials; and bribery involving municipal government public officials are all prohibited by law. Domestic bribery of a Commonwealth public official is dealt with in the Criminal Code. The following are examples of offenses: Paying a bribe or receiving a corrupting benefit; giving a bribe or receiving a corruptive benefit; and abusing public authority It makes no difference whether the corrupting benefit is in the form of a reward for the offence of giving or receiving a corrupting advantage. The Crimes Act of New South Wales makes it illegal to provide or receive any advantage as an inducement or reward for doing or not doing something, or for exhibiting or not exhibiting a favor or disfavor in a person’s commercial operations (any person, in private or public). Similar offenses exist in other states and territories.
Belgium
Both “public corruption” and “private corruption” are criminal offenses in Belgian law. Anyone who directly or indirectly proposes to a specific person an offer, a promise, or an advantage of any kind, to the benefit of that person or a third party, in order for that person to perform or omit to perform an act that falls within the scope of (or is facilitated by) his or her function, commits either offence. Corruption as a crime requires only a single act: it is punished upon offer, promise, gift, request, or solicitation, even if the target accepts the bribe but does not do the demanded behavior, or even if the target refuses to participate in the illegal plan at all. An agreement between the parties just adds to the severity of the offense, resulting in a harsher penalty. The direct or indirect offer, giving, receipt, or solicitation of an advantage to or by a person performing public duties in Belgium or abroad in order for that person to perform or omit to perform an act that falls within the scope of his or her function and which constitutes a proper act not subject to salary, an improper act, a criminal offence, or the exercise of a power is referred to as public corruption.
France
Bribery of French government officials is illegal under French law. Corruption involving public officials is classified as either “active” or “passive” in French law, and both are considered criminal offenses. Public officials who seek or receive bribes, as well as private citizens who attempt to bribe a public official, are both guilty of these offenses. The act of seeking or agreeing to a bribe is a corruption offense, regardless of whether: The bribe is paid; the activity is carried out; the bribe receiver is the public official himself or herself; or the briber is the ultimate benefit of the receiver of the bribe’s action or abstention. A person who bribes a public authority is committing active corruption. The offence is defined broadly as the suggestion or offer of an unfair advantage to a public official by any person, directly or indirectly, with the intent of influencing that official to act or refrain from acting in regard to the performance of the official’s position, function, or mandate. A public official who has been bribed commits passive corruption. The act of a public official soliciting or agreeing to an unfair advantage as a reward for doing (or having performed) or refraining from performing (or having refrained from performing) an act in relation to that official’s position, function, or mandate is defined as the offence. Bribery of a public official has been harmonised within the European Union, in particular through the Convention on the Protection of the Financial Interests of the European Communities and its Protocols, which distinguishes between active and passive corruption of public officials, defines a “official” (at both national and European levels), and harmonizes the penalties.
Germany
Has a Sections 331 and accompanying of the Penal Code handle corruption charges against public officials. As a result, even if a public official does not break any obligations, it is illegal for him or her to demand, allow oneself or herself to be offered, or receive a reward in exchange for performing an official duty. Individuals who provide, promise, or grant a favor to an official in exchange for the performance of a task are also penalised. A heavier punishment will be applied if the benefit is promised or granted for the violation of a duty.
Ireland
The Corruption Act does not define the terms “public corruption” or “bribery of a public officer.” Certain offenses under the act, however, are specific to public officials; for example, an Irish official who, directly or indirectly, acts in relation to his or her office, employment, position, or business for the purpose of corruptly obtaining a gift, consideration, or advantage for himself or herself, or for any other person, is guilty of an offence. It is likewise illegal for an Irish official to use secret information received during the course of his or her office, employment, position, or business to earn a gift, consideration, or advantage for himself or herself, or for anyone else.
Switzerland
These offenses are committed when the offender (corrupting party) offers, promises, or provides an undue advantage to a member of a judicial or other authority, a public official, an officially appointed expert, translator, or interpreter, an arbitrator, a member of the armed forces, or a third party (corrupted party) with the intent of causing that public official to carry out or fail to carry out a task. If a person commits an act that satisfies all of the aforementioned aspects of the definition, he or she may be sentenced to a maximum of five years in jail or a monetary penalty under Swiss law (Article 322ter of the Swiss Criminal Code (SCC)). Receiving bribes – so-called “passive corruption” – is also illegal under Swiss law (Article 322quater of the SCC); the sentence structure is the same as for active corruption. UK The Bribery Act does not define the phrases “public corruption” or “bribery of a public officer.” However, as indicated in question 1.1, the offences outlined in Sections 1, 2, 6, and 7 of the act cover such scenarios. Bribery is illegal under Section 6 of the Bribery Act, which makes it illegal to promise, propose, or give a bribe to a foreign public official (see question 2.2). The Act’s other clauses do not distinguish between private and public bribery.
United Arab Emirates
The offence of accepting a bribe as a public official is defined in Article 236 bis (1) of the Federal Penal Code as follows: Any person who administers a public entity or establishment, or is employed by one in any capacity, and who requests, accepts, or is promised a gift, benefit, or grant that is not due, whether for the benefit of himself or another person, and whether for the benefit of himself or another person, in order for such person to commit or omit an act.
United States of America
Bribery of a public official is defined as follows under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA): directly or indirectly, making a payment or proposing, authorizing, or promising a payment or anything of value to a foreign public official, foreign political party or party official, or candidate for a foreign political office; with a corrupt motive; “for the purpose of I influencing any act or decision of such foreign official in his official capacity, (ii) inducing such foreign official to do or omit any act in violation of such official’s lawful duty, (iii) obtaining any improper advantage, or (iv) inducing such foreign official to use his influence with a foreign government or instrumentality thereof to affect or influence any act.”