Anti-Bribery and Corruption

This is the third article in our series breaking down the steps that organisations will need to take to put in place “reasonable procedures” to prevent fraud. Our previous posts, focusing on how to conduct effective fraud risk assessments and enhance polices and procedures, can be found here and here

The new UK failure

The government have confirmed that the guidance in relation to what constitutes ‘reasonable procedures’ for the prevention of fraud is likely to be published in ‘early summer’, meaning that the new Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence would come into force by the end of the year.

See here for our article summarising the new offence

Following the enactment of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) last month, the UK Government has proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill (CJB) (here) to extend the scope of corporate liability for senior managers beyond certain economic offences to all UK criminal offences.

Reform of economic

Following the enactment of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) last month, the UK Government has proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill (CJB) (here) to extend the scope of corporate liability for senior managers beyond certain economic offences to all UK criminal offences.

Reform of economic

A new “failure to prevent fraud” offence has been introduced as part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the Act).

The Act has received Royal Assent, and although timing for implementation is unclear, it is expected that the new offence could come into force during early 2024.

This forms part of broader

The Home Office announced last week that it will conduct an independent review of the criminal disclosure regime and the challenges that arise in fraud investigations (the Review).  The Review comes on the heels of the UK government’s broader fraud strategy (which committed to such a review) and the upcoming failure to prevent fraud

Summary

As part of a new anti-corruption package announced on 3 May 2023, the European Commission has proposed a new directive (Directive) which, if implemented, would require EU member states (Member States) to meet common standards in their anti-corruption legislation.

More detail on the EU’s anti-corruption package, including the proposed new