Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in OECD Partner Countries

Over the past few years, combating corruption has become a key policy priority for Albania. Yet, OECD evidence shows that policy design and implementation need to further improve. Albania is the latest country to join the OECD Fair Market Conditions initiative to boost competitiveness through integrity and strengthen government agencies' capacitities to prevent corruption.

Several objectives guide the implementation of the project:

• Raise awareness of OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society
• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete OECD recommendations with regard to the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption and competition authorities
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula

Activities in Algeria focus on the creation of a Collective Action Community (CAC) that involves all interested actors, including from the private sector, academia and civil society. The CAC facilitates the development of coalitions against corruption to strengthen business integrity in strategic economic sectors particularly exposed to corruption risks.

Several objectives guide the implementation of the project:

• Raise awareness about OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness
• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete policy recommendations with regard to the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption authorities
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula
• Promote the High Level Reporting Mechanism (HLRM)

While Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken important steps to address corruption, there remains potential to strengthen its institutions and enhance policy effectiveness. Between 2019 and 2021, the economy engaged with the OECD to promote long-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and public sector integrity. 

The project’s core objectives included:

• Raising awareness of OECD standards and best practices related to anti-corruption, integrity, and fair competition among public officials and businesses, academia and civil society representatives
• Enhancing institutional capacities and promoting the implementation of concrete OECD recommendations to improve the transparency and effectiveness of anti-corruption and competition authorities
• Fostering knowledge transfer by integrating current international practices on integrity and anti-corruption into higher education and professional training programmes

Croatia has made significant progress in the fight against corruption. However, further policy work is needed to improve the effectiveness of its institutions. To strengthen prevention mechanisms and government agencies, the current phase of activities builds upon the project Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in the Adriatic Region and focuses on capacity building and knowledge exchange. To ensure lasting change, the OECD is working with local actors on implementing new OECD tools and practices to foster integrity among businesses and SOEs, introducing new methods for legal provision on anti-corruption practices in the academic curricula.

Several objectives guide the implementation of the project:

• Raise awareness of OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society;
• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete OECD recommendations regarding the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption and competition authorities;
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula.

Kazakhstan is making notable strides in the fight against corruption. The country has adopted a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy and action plan for 2022–2026, backed by a forward-thinking project management approach that ensures effective monitoring and implementation. However, key challenges remain. The meaningful involvement of civil society organisations and broader collective action networks is still limited, which hampers the inclusivity and sustainability of reform efforts. Moreover, vulnerabilities persist in areas such as illicit procurement practices and ethical leadership, posing risks to long-term progress.

To accelerate reform, it is essential to reinforce integrity measures across both public and private sectors. Expanding university curricula to include integrity-focused education could play a pivotal role in shaping future leaders and embedding a culture of transparency.

The project’s core objectives include:

• Establish a multi-stakeholder Collective Action Community to unite government, business, academia, and civil society in advancing anti-corruption and integrity.
• Integrate anti-corruption and integrity topics into university curricula, training academic staff and students to foster ethical leadership and responsible business practices.
• Raise awareness and mobilise action through lectures, workshops, and university-led campaigns, empowering future leaders and broadening engagement across society.

Leveraging Saudi Arabia’s recent anti-corruption efforts as part of its Vision 2030 development plan, the project aims to raise awareness of international anti-corruption and integrity standards and encourage the creation of a Collective Actions Community. For this purpose, the OECD organises a series of consultations, workshops and roundtables including a wide spectrum of state and non-state actors. This enables stakeholders from the public and private sectors, academia and civil society to contribute collectively to the promotion a culture of integrity in all sectors of society and ensure that policies are tailored to all relevant stakeholders’ needs.

The activities organised within the framework of this project strive to:

• Raise awareness about OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society;
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula.

Serbia has progressed in the fight against corruption. However, OECD evidence shows that policy design and implementation need further improvement. Building upon Serbia's participation in the project Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in the Adriatic Region and addressing shortcomings identified in the OECD Competitiveness Outlook 2024, Serbia is embrasing a collective action approach to enhancing competitiveness and integrity. The collaboration now moves into a new phase with a focus on knowledge exchange, expanding alignment with local NGOs while introducing OECD tools and practices to improve market conditions.

Several objectives guide the implementation of the project:

• Raise awareness of OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society;
• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete OECD recommendations with regard to the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption and competition authorities;
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula; 

In the continuation of the close partnership between South Africa and the OECD, this project seeks to support further reforms on SOEs and broader anti-corruption strategies for South African public officials, corporations and other relevant stakeholders in the private sector and academia. The OECD also helps raise awareness of principles and best practices on integrity and fosters business integrity in strategic sectors through the creation of a Collective Action community. 

More generally, this project aims to:

• Raise awareness about OECD standards and good practices of anticorruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society;
• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete policy recommendations with regard to the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption authorities;
• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula.

Since 2017, Uzbekistan has been pursuing reforms to open markets and boost private sector contributions to economic development. Despite progress, challenges remain in creating a competitive business environment due to excessive state presence, particularly through state-owned enterprises (SOEs). By 2024, the government aimed to reduce SOEs by 75% through privatisation, but implementing clear rules and ensuring fair competition for private businesses are ongoing challenges, as noted in the OECD’s Improving the Legal Environment for Business and Investment in Central Asia progress report. The Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in Uzbekistan project aims to strengthen its competition framework and align with international best practices.

In particular, it:

• Raises awareness of OECD standards and good practices in anti-corruption, integrity, and fair competition;
• Provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Uzbekistan's competition regime;
• Offers recommendations to improve the legal and enforcement framework;
• Builds capacity and fostered the implementation of OECD recommendations to enhance transparency, efficiency of competition authorities, and corporate governance standards.