After being called upon by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts, France recently examined draft legislation which would do exactly that. While discussions before the French Parliament are not expected to begin for a few months, the implications of this legislation are expansive, and represent a revolution in French anti-corruption law.
Key points of the drafted legislation include:
- Creation of a proper anti-corruption national agency
- Mandatory requirement of implementation of a compliance program
- Implementation of French Sunshine Act requirements
- A true legal status for whistle-blowers
- Possibility of signing off-setting agreements in case of prosecution
- A dissuasive fining arsenal
- Applicability of the French law to bribery offence committed in foreign countries
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