Each Party shall take such measures as may be necessary to establish that it is a criminal offence under its law for any person intentionally to offer, promise or give any undue pecuniary or other advantage, whether directly or through intermediaries, to a foreign public official, for that official or for a third party, in order that the official act or refrain from acting in relation to the performance of official duties, in order to obtain or retain business or other improper advantage in the conduct of international business.
Verdrag inzake bestrijding van omkoping van buitenlandse ambtenaren bij internationale zakelijke transacties
Geldig vanaf 13 maart 2001
Geldig vanaf 13 maart 2001
Verdrag inzake bestrijding van omkoping van buitenlandse ambtenaren bij internationale zakelijke transacties
Opschrift
Convention on combating bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions
Preambule
Preamble
The Parties,
Considering that bribery is a widespread phenomenon in international business transactions, including trade and investment, which raises serious moral and political concerns, undermines good governance and economic development, and distorts international competitive conditions;
Considering that all countries share a responsibility to combat bribery in international business transactions;
Having regard to the Revised Recommendation on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions, adopted by the Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on 23 May 1997, C(97)(123/FINAL, which, inter alia, called for effective measures to deter, prevent and combat the bribery of foreign public officials in connection with international business transactions, in particular the prompt criminalisation of such bribery in an effective and co-ordinated manner and in conformity with the agreed common elements set out in that Recommendation and with the jurisdictional and other basic legal principles of each country;
Welcoming other recent developments which further advance international understanding and co-operation in combating bribery of public officials, including actions of the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation, the Organisation of American States, the Council of Europe and the European Union;
Welcoming the efforts of companies, business organisations and trade unions as well as other non-governmental organisations to combat bribery;
Recognising the role of governments in the prevention of solicitation of bribes from individuals and enterprises in international business transactions;
Recognising that achieving progress in this field requires not only efforts on a national level but also multilateral co-operation, monitoring and follow-up;
Recognising that achieving equivalence among the measures to be taken by the Parties is an essential object and purpose of the Convention, which requires that the Convention be ratified without derogations affecting this equivalence;
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1. The Offence of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials
2.
Each Party shall take any measures necessary to establish that complicity in, including incitement, aiding and abetting, or authorisation of an act of bribery of a foreign public official shall be a criminal offence. Attempt and conspiracy to bribe a foreign public official shall be criminal offences to the same extent as attempt and conspiracy to bribe a public official of that Party.
3.
The offences set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 above are hereinafter referred to as “bribery of a foreign public official".
4.
For the purpose of this Convention:
“foreign public official" means any person holding a legislative, administrative or judicial office of a foreign country, whether appointed or elected; any person exercising a public function for a foreign country, including for a public agency or public enterprise; and any official or agent of a public international organisation;
“foreign country" includes all levels and subdivisions of government, from national to local;
“act or refrain from acting in relation to the performance of official duties" includes any use of the public official's position, whether or not within the official's authorised competence.