Workshop on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions in Latin America

Buenos Aires, 7-8 December 1998

This Workshop was sponsored by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Government of Argentina in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The clandestine nature of corruption makes it impossible to estimate its full magnitude and impact, but the detrimental effects it has on economies and societies are evident. Corruption distorts the allocation of resources, undermines fair competition in the marketplace, hurts economic development, erodes confidence in political systems and fosters organised crime.

The international community is actively engaged in fighting corrupt practices in international transactions. Measures taken at an international level include the criminalisation of bribery of foreign public officials, denial of tax deductibility of bribes, improvements in accounting and auditing practices and greater transparency in public procurement procedures. The Convention on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions negociated in the framework of the OECD and the Inter-American Convention negociated among OAS countries are landmarks in these efforts.  Government officials, business executives as well as civil society representatives from OECD and OAS countries came together to discuss ways of fighting bribery and corruption both at national and international levels. The main themes of the workshop were:

• how to transpose international instruments into national action against corruption
• criminal law enforcement, tax measures, accounting, public procurement and means to mobilise civil society
• monitoring and follow-up mechanisms aimed at ensuring that countries act effectively and in a coordinated manner
• practical measures to strengthen cooperation among OECD and OAS members in anti-corruption efforts.