OECD: Belgium must strengthen fight against foreign bribery

Belgium has made legal progress in tackling foreign bribery, but enforcement remains weak, according to a new OECD report. The organisation urges stronger corporate accountability, tougher sanctions, and more resources for investigations.

Since its last OECD review in 2013, Belgium has extended the statute of limitations for bribery cases, expanded corporate liability, and introduced whistleblower protections. It has also removed barriers to prosecuting corruption abroad, making it easier to target Belgian companies involved in foreign bribery.

Despite these changes, enforcement remains insufficient. Since 2013, only five individuals have been convicted, and no companies have faced sanctions. The OECD warns that Belgium’s anti-corruption agencies lack funding and personnel, and that corporate penalties have been reduced under a new penal code.

Corporate oversight 

Belgian businesses often fail to prioritise anti-corruption measures. Many only act under pressure from foreign regulators. The OECD therefore calls for clearer guidelines for prosecutors, stricter corporate accountability, and mandatory publication of bribery convictions to improve deterrence.

The OECD will assess Belgium’s progress again in 2027. Without stronger enforcement and corporate accountability, it warns that foreign bribery will remain under-prosecuted.

^{Illustration photo © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}