11 February 2025,

Bucharest

PRESS RELEASE

Corruption Perception Index 2024

Strong anti-corruption measures are declining, reducing the quality of life globally

Transparency International launches today the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2024.

Corruption Perception Index 2023 (CPI) shows the way independent and business experts perceive corruption in the public sector in 180 states and territories. The ranking is created by awarding points from 0 to 100, where zero means "highly corrupt" and 100 "very clean".

A worrying aspect regarding 2024 is that the global level of corruption remains very high, while the efforts to combat this phenomenon are declining. The lack of strong anti-corruption measures has severe global consequences in key-areas such as defending democracy, maintaining the rule of law, protecting the environment and combating climate change, as well as promoting and safeguarding the human rights.

The European Union has among the highest scores in the Corruption Perception Index. However, in 2024, the EU's average score is 62 points, down two points from previous years. Across EU countries, there is a clear trend of stagnation or even a decline of anti-corruption efforts, which significantly undermines the rule of law, limits access to justice, and reduces public integrity. These issues have a direct negative impact on citizens' daily lives, whether through poor-quality of public services, increased exposure to corruption, or environmental degradation due to illegal practices.

The 2024 Corruption Perception Index regarding European Union top-ranks countries like Denmark (90 points), Finland (88 points), and Luxembourg (81 points). For the third year in a row, Romania's score is at 46 points out of 100, alongside Malta, placing it among the EU countries with low performances in combating corruption.

The European Union countries with the most significant decline in CPI in the last year are Germany (75 points, -3 points/2023), Austria and France (67 points, -4 points/2023), Slovakia (49 points, -5 points/2023), and Malta (46 points, -5 points/2023). Although it is among the few EU countries that have maintained a stable CPI score, Romania remains far below the EU average. According to Transparency International's methodology, a score below 50 points is unacceptably low.

At the national level, Transparency International Romania's recommendations include:

• Implementation of Integrity Pacts as a widely used tool for monitoring public procurements, including green public procurements, to avoid corruption risks and to increase trust in key public contracting projects – highlighting the importance of civic oversight of public spending, ensuring fairness of the process, and promoting accountability in investment projects;
• Raising public awareness about the importance of enforcing Law No. 361/2022 on the protection of whistleblowers, particularly in the areas specified in Article 3 as eligible-fields in which law violations can be reported, such as public procurement, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, environmental protection, and public health;
• Updating the legislation regarding public integrity, in order to solve the gaps and legislative inconsistencies currently existing and improving the clarity of the public integrity regulation package;
• Governmental commitment to an anti-corruption program aimed at increasing Romania’s Corruption Perception Index score to at least 50 points by 2027;
• Implementing non-formal and informal education programs for students and pupils to help build a strong civic culture and enhance their understanding of basic concepts related to democratic principles, individual rights, ethics, and integrity in society.

Transparency International Romania once again highlights the importance of cooperation among all societal actors, from the academic environment, public institutions, and the political class to the private sector and civil society. Their constant involvement in building an integrity-driven society is essential, as each has its own role and responsibility in the fight against corruption.

Data and statistics on the 2024 Corruption Perception Index at the global, regional, and national levels, as well as comparative data from previous years, are available on the website: www.transparency.org.ro

Information about Integrity Pacts is available on the website: www.pactedeintegritate.ro

In its over 20 years of activity, Transparency International Romania has contributed to the establishment / consolidation of public institutions such as ANI, DGA, DNA, has developed more than 40 public policies, including the one regarding the whistleblowers protection. At the same time, it has developed and implemented standards on ethics and integrity for the public sector and the business environment. We are consistent with the principles that guide us in our work: integrity, impartiality, accountability, professionalism.   For further details please contact us at: office@transparency.org.ro