The Phase 4 evaluation on Latvia’s implementation of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions acknowledges that the country has made substantial progress, notably by imposing sanctions on two companies for foreign bribery and starting trial proceedings against two other companies.
Latvia has taken measures to implement recommendations from the OECD Working Group on Bribery’s 2019 Phase 3 evaluation, while enhancing prosecutorial and judicial specialisation in economic and corruption crimes. Latvia amended its laws to strengthen its foreign bribery offence, increase monetary sanctions, and introduce broader whistleblower protections. It has also dramatically improved the anti-money laundering system in recent years.
Nevertheless, Latvia must still address outstanding and new issues to further align its laws and institutions with the Convention and related instruments to better prevent, detect and enforce the foreign bribery offence. The Working Group recommends that Latvia:
- Adopt a detection strategy to better implement the Convention as Latvia’s foreign bribery and money laundering risk landscape evolves
- Develop clearer policies encouraging companies to detect and report foreign bribery to law enforcement
- Effectively apply Latvia’s whistleblower protections
- Ensure that Latvia’s foreign bribery offence is not interpreted so narrowly that corrupt actors avoid liability despite “feeding” officials with undue benefits to receive improper advantages
- Ensure that the proceeds of foreign bribery are confiscated to the extent possible
- Provide Latvia’s justice system with sufficient resources to effectively combat foreign bribery.
The report is part of Phase 4 of the Working Group’s monitoring of the implementation of the Convention, evaluating Latvia’s particular challenges and positive achievements. It explores issues such as detection, enforcement, corporate liability, international co-operation, as well as unresolved issues from prior evaluations. Latvia will report to the Working Group in two years (i.e. June 2028) on its implementation of all recommendations and its enforcement efforts.
Established in 1994, the OECD Working Group on Bribery is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Convention and related instruments, including the 2021 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation, using a robust peer-review monitoring mechanism.
For further information, journalists are invited to contact the OECD Media Office.
For more information on Latvia’s work to fight corruption, please visit this web page.
Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to preserve individual liberty and improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.