Steps taken by Iceland to implement and enforce the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions

(Information as of 12 November 2004)

Date of deposit of instrument of ratification/ acceptance or date of accession

The instrument of ratification was deposited with the OECD Secretary General on August 17 1998.

Deposit of instrument of ratification/acceptance: 17 August 1998
Entry into force of the Convention: 15 February 1999
Entry into force of implementing legislation: 30 December 1998

Implementing legislation

Implementing legislation is Act No. 147/1998 amending Section 109, para. 2 of the General Penal Code concerning bribery of foreign public officials, and Act No. 144/1998 on Criminal Responsibility of Legal Persons in Relation to Bribery of Public Officials.

Section 109 of the General Penal Code has since been amended by Act No. 125/2003 implementing the European Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, concerning the description of the offence and adding categories to the definition of foreign public officials.

Following offences are punishable under the General Penal Code:

Active and passive bribery of public officials (Section 109, para. 1, Section 128, para. 1).

Active and passive bribery of foreign public officials (Section 109, para. 2, Section 128, para. 2).

Active and passive trading in influence (Section 109, para. 3 and 4).

Active and passive bribery in the private sector (Section 264. a).

Furthermore, Act No. 144/1998 on Criminal Responsibility of Legal Persons in Relation to Bribery and Terrorism [the title of the Act changed by Act No. 99/2002] was last amended by Act No. 125/2003, making the laundering of the proceeds of a bribery offence a punishable offence.

Other information

Relevant authorities

The National Commissioner of Police

Economic Crime Unit

The Prosecutor General

Working Group on Bribery Monitoring Reports

Phase 1:  Review of Implementation of the Convention and 1997 Recommendation
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/14/40/2387563.pdf

Phase 2:  Report on the Application of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the 1997 Recommendation on Combating Bribery in International Business Transactions
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/8/2498248.pdf

Phase 2: Follow-up Report on the Implementation of the Phase 2 Recommendations on the Application of the Convention and the 1997 Recommendation on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/7/36682053.pdf