[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":346},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-gretta-fenners-address-at-the-ungass-2021-plenary-session-2026":3,"news-gretta-fenners-address-at-the-ungass-2021-plenary-session-2026-similar":70,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":341},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":19,"activity":20,"nid":23,"topics":24,"activities":27,"programme":28,"area":28,"websites":29,"language":28,"image":31,"translation_of":28,"countries":44,"tags":45,"authors":46,"images":67,"translations":68,"content":69},9596,"published","2022-05-26T22:53:02.000Z","2026-06-05T19:01:08.000Z","Gretta Fenner's address at the UNGASS 2021 plenary session","Blog","_The following statement by the Basel Institute's Managing Director, Gretta Fenner, was aired at the Special Session of the UN General Assembly against Corruption on 4 June 2021. [Watch the video here](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002F3aF-4HgycYg)._\n\nExcellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,\n\nI thank you for the opportunity to deliver a short statement on behalf of the Basel Institute on Governance.\n\nWe welcome the political declaration as a text that provides useful guidance. In particular, we welcome those parts of the text that go beyond previously agreed language, many of which reflect the recommendations that our organisation has made in the context of the consultation process.\n\nAmong those, we in particular welcome that paragraph 11 calls upon member states to go beyond the minimum in relation to criminalisation, with a special reference to illicit enrichment, and the paragraphs that encourage states to adopt regimes for both conviction and non-conviction based confiscation.\n\nWe are encouraged that the political declaration recognises that states do not yet live up to their commitment to afford each other the widest measure of cooperation when it comes to investigating corruption and recovering stolen assets. In many countries international cooperation remains burdened by unnecessary bureaucracy and sometimes procedural law that would appear to be biased in favour of the defence. \n\nWe are also encouraged that member states in paragraph 6 have endorsed the notion of Collective Action as an important emerging norm in corruption prevention.\n\nFinally, we are gratified that the declaration refers strongly to the importance of independent law enforcement and the critical role played by non-state actors.\n\nThe gist of this document gives thus reason for hope. But the reality is that on most days, the fight against corruption still feels like a very steep uphill battle. The levels of corruption remain incredibly high, and not a single country is spared.\n\nOf course in parts this is the consequence of positive developments. The media and civil society as well as bolder law enforcement action have helped us to see corruption better, and to understand its consequences better. More people are upset about it.\n\nAnd we should celebrate these successes, and in particular the many courageous individuals, in law enforcement, in the media and ordinary people who resist, who stand up and protest; many of them at great personal sacrifice.\n\nBut corruption is a very resilient and adaptive disease. We are no longer (only) dealing with the kind of corruption that involves stealing from state coffers or paying someone off. This means purely legal and technical solutions are just not enough. We must understand the political economy of corruption, and we must invest in education so that still more people are able to see through the corruption fog.\n\nSecond, corruption has become even more globalised. It is a spiderweb connecting politicians and businesses regardless of political colour or nationality, aided by nifty middlemen and the still many blind spots on the world map.\n\nThis stands in stark contrast with the increasing break-down of global solidarity and governance, marked by misguided references to national sovereignty and masked by the excuse of bureaucracy. It makes it virtually impossible for law enforcement to stand a chance. The criminals are laughing; we make it so easy for them.\n\nSo we must ask more of you, and you must ask more of each other.\n\nFirst, we ask that you truly endorse the strong language encouraging countries to go beyond the mere minimum. Don’t be held back because others may not go as far as you want to. Show true leadership, not comparative leadership.\n\nSecond, please, for once, be ready to be fully accountable. For the fight against corruption to succeed we need a lot, but what we don’t need is another political statement that is not followed through. So I call upon you all to allow for full and public scrutiny of what you will do to implement the commitments made today. \n\nThose who risk their lives to fight corruption, those who lose their lives because of corruption, every day, in every corner of the world, they deserve that.\n\nI thank you.","2021-06-04",[14,15,16,17,18],"Asset Recovery","Collective Action","Private Sector","Prevention"," Research and Innovation","gretta-fenners-address-at-the-ungass-2021-plenary-session-2026",[21,22],"Events","Presentations",2026,[25,15,16,26],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement","Prevention Research and Innovation",[21,22],null,[30,15],"Main page",{"id":32,"storage":33,"filename_disk":34,"filename_download":35,"title":36,"type":37,"created_on":38,"modified_on":39,"charset":28,"filesize":40,"width":41,"height":42,"duration":28,"embed":28,"description":28,"location":28,"tags":28,"metadata":43,"focal_point_x":28,"focal_point_y":28,"tus_id":28,"tus_data":28,"uploaded_on":39},"330de557-dbbe-4df8-a655-5d577e5c3ea9","local","330de557-dbbe-4df8-a655-5d577e5c3ea9.webp","Screenshot 2021-06-04 at 18.32.09.webp","Gretta Fenner's address at the UNGASS 2021 plenary session","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:18:13.000Z","2026-05-06T07:33:53.000Z",86274,1600,889,{},[],[],[47],{"id":48,"news_id":49,"authors_id":63},1194,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":50,"date_created":7,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":32,"date":12,"topic":52,"slug":19,"activity":53,"nid":23,"topics":54,"activities":55,"programme":28,"area":28,"websites":56,"translation_of":28,"language":28,"countries":57,"tags":58,"authors":59,"images":60,"translations":61,"content":62},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6",[14,15,16,17,18],[21,22],[25,15,16,26],[21,22],[30,15],[],[],[48],[],[],[],{"id":64,"name":65,"position":28,"image":66},297,"Gretta Fenner","06f7143f-fe9b-45df-87a0-8c2e8f721109",[],[],[],[71,111,134,168,189,214,244,267,299,321],{"id":72,"body":73,"status":6,"type":10,"date":74,"slug":75,"title":76,"image":77,"countries":78,"topic":81,"activity":82,"tags":85,"nid":98,"topics":99,"activities":100,"authors":101,"images":103,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":105,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":106,"user_updated":107,"date_updated":108,"content":109,"link":110},10611,"When states fail to hold corrupt actors to account, ordinary citizens pay the price. Corruption sanctions were born from the idea that no one should be above the law, no matter where they are in the world. In a new Working Paper, Dr Anton Moiseienko explores how these tools have evolved and offers recommendations for their more effective and legitimate use.\n\nHere we share the foreword to his paper by the Basel Institute's Andrew Dornbierer, Head of Policy and Research, International Centre for Asset Recovery.\n\n> ### Foreword\n> \n> Every state has an obligation to investigate and prosecute corruption within their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, many states around the world are not willing to fulfil this responsibility.\n> \n> As a result, the very individuals within these states tasked with serving the public interest are instead given free rein to commit acts that not only serve themselves but also corrode the fabric of the state. And ordinary citizens have no alternative but to endure the ensuing economic and social damage.\n> \n> The development of sanctions tools targeting corruption stemmed from the idea that justice should be universal; that no one in any society around the world should be above the law.\n> \n> They are powerful tools, built on powerful principles. States introducing them understand that unchecked corruption will always suffocate a state’s ability to provide security, fairness and prosperity to its citizens.\n> \n> Comparatively though, corruption sanctions are still an underdeveloped concept and are far from perfect. Only a handful of states have introduced them, and those that have are not often using them to their full potential.\n> \n> They also spark valid concerns surrounding due process. These criticisms shouldn’t be ignored: they offer an insight on how these tools could be further developed and enhanced to ensure that they are more credibly and consistently applied.\n> \n> In his paper, Anton Moiseienko provides an excellent and well-researched overview of how corruption sanctions could be designed and employed to better achieve their potential. He explains how these tools have evolved over the last two decades and how they could be further refined to be more effective and achieve a wider range of impact.\n> \n> Critically, his paper is an indispensable resource for those looking to understand exactly how such sanctions can help states deter, disrupt and debilitate the notoriously corrupt that are unreachable through standard criminal justice tools.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Read Dr Anton Moiseienko’s Working Paper “[Corruption sanctions: What governments need to know](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-62)” for a deeper analysis of the topic and key policy recommendations.\n*   Get a brief introduction to corruption sanctions from our related [Quick Guide](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fqg43).\n*   Register for our public webinar \"[Corruption sanctions – reaching those beyond the law](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnode\u002F2968)\" on 18 June 2026, marking the launch of Dr Moiseienko's Working Paper.","2026-06-03","holding-the-corrupt-to-account-the-promise-and-potential-of-corruption-sanctions-2979","Holding the corrupt to account: the promise and potential of corruption sanctions","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F9f5fad98-9243-40da-98d0-1271edd00df2?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[79,80],7808,7809,[14],[83,84],"Reports","Insights",[86,90,94],{"tags_id":87},{"id":88,"name":89},1227,"Sanctions",{"tags_id":91},{"id":92,"name":93},843,"Asset recovery",{"tags_id":95},{"id":96,"name":97},982,"Anti-corruption",2979,[25],[83,84],[102],1372,[],"English",[],"2026-06-04T21:13:40.000Z","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30","2026-06-06T09:05:16.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fholding-the-corrupt-to-account-the-promise-and-potential-of-corruption-sanctions-2979",{"id":112,"body":113,"status":6,"type":114,"date":115,"slug":116,"title":117,"image":118,"countries":119,"topic":120,"activity":121,"tags":123,"nid":124,"topics":125,"activities":126,"authors":127,"images":128,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":129,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":130,"user_updated":107,"date_updated":131,"content":132,"link":133},10612,"Reducing the economic power of organised crime is essential to improving security, strengthening justice systems and supporting sustainable development across Latin America and the Caribbean. And doing that requires strong and dependable partnerships.\n\nBuilding on more than a decade of support to authorities across the region, the Basel Institute on Governance has formally joined the [Alliance for Security, Justice and Development](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iadb.org\u002Fen\u002Fwho-we-are\u002Ftopics\u002Fmodernization-state\u002Fcitizen-security-and-justice\u002Falliance-security-justice-and-development), a regional initiative led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).\n\nThe Alliance seeks to strengthen coordinated responses to organised crime in Latin America and the Caribbean through dialogue, cooperation, knowledge exchange and resource mobilisation.\n\n### Supporting the fight against illicit financial flows\n\nFor the Basel Institute and its International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR), participation in the Alliance represents a further opportunity to contribute its expertise in financial investigations, asset recovery, international cooperation and public financial management while working alongside governments, international organisations and other partners committed to strengthening security, justice and development across the region.\n\nExecutive Director Elizabeth Andersen signed the declaration formalising the Basel Institute’s participation in the Alliance in Washington, D.C. The signing followed close engagement between senior IDB and Alliance representatives and Oscar Solórzano, Head of ICAR Latin America.\n\n### Strengthening regional cooperation\n\nThe Alliance for Security, Justice and Development is a regional platform for dialogue, cooperation, knowledge exchange and resource mobilisation aimed at preventing and responding to organised crime in Latin America and the Caribbean.\n\nCoordinated by the IDB through its Citizen Security Division, the Alliance currently brings together 23 member states and multiple strategic partners from the international, development and security sectors.\n\nIts work is structured around three strategic pillars:\n\n*   protecting vulnerable communities from organised crime and violence;\n*   strengthening institutional resilience within security and justice systems; and\n*   reducing illicit financial flows and illicit markets to weaken the operational capacity and influence of criminal organisations.\n\n### Bringing expertise in asset recovery and financial investigations\n\nThe Basel Institute will contribute particularly to the third pillar, leaning on the expertise and two decades of experience of its specialised International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR).\n\nElizabeth Andersen stated that the Basel Institute is honoured to participate in such a high-level initiative focused on issues of critical importance for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as for the broader international community.\n\nOscar Solórzano highlighted that the Alliance represents an important opportunity to support countries in strengthening asset recovery systems, international cooperation and institutional capacities against increasingly sophisticated forms of organised crime and illicit economies.\n\n### Building on a decade of support in Latin America\n\nOur participation builds on more than a decade of operational and technical support to authorities across Latin America in areas including financial investigations, asset recovery, international cooperation and – through a dedicated programme – public financial management.\n\nActivities under the Alliance framework are expected to begin in the region in the coming months, with our teams supporting key initiatives and technical workstreams developed through the Alliance in the years ahead.\n\nOur participation reflects our longstanding commitment to helping countries tackle corruption, illicit financial flows and organised crime, and our belief that sustainable impact is achieved through strong partnerships that bring together public authorities, international organisations and practitioners around shared goals.","News","2026-06-02","basel-institute-joins-regional-effort-to-strengthen-security-justice-and-development-in-latin-america-2977","Basel Institute joins regional effort to strengthen security, justice and development in Latin America","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fda8fdbf2-aea0-4009-8f38-8a04c5d8e964?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[122],"Partnerships",[],2977,[25],[122],[],[],[],"2026-06-04T21:13:42.000Z","2026-06-06T09:36:18.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-institute-joins-regional-effort-to-strengthen-security-justice-and-development-in-latin-america-2977",{"id":135,"body":136,"status":6,"type":10,"date":137,"slug":138,"title":139,"image":140,"countries":141,"topic":144,"activity":145,"tags":146,"nid":157,"topics":158,"activities":159,"authors":160,"images":162,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":163,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":164,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":165,"content":166,"link":167},10615,"When Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, many believed it would lead to more secure, transparent and less corrupt borders. New regulations, infrastructure modernisation and digitalised customs procedures all followed. European standards and money arrived together.\n\nYet corruption did not disappear at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, the main land crossing between Bulgaria and Türkiye and one of the busiest gateways between Europe and Asia. Instead, it evolved.\n\nThis is the central finding of a recent [article](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fevolution-corruption-and-crimes-kapitan-andreevo-border-checkpoint-impact-eu-accession) by the Prevention, Research and Innovation team of the Basel Institute on Governance – Dr Jacopo Costa, Dr Claudia Baez Camargo, Noémi Jäger and Dr Saba Kassa – published in the _Journal of Illicit Trade, Financial Crime, and Compliance_.\n\nThe article examines how criminal networks, smugglers, businesses and corrupt officials adapted to Bulgaria’s EU integration. It illustrates how corruption behaves like an adaptive ecosystem: when regulations and border control technologies change, corruption changes with them.\n\nA border built for opportunity – legal and illegal\n\nBorder spaces concentrate discretionary power in the hands of customs officers, border guards, inspectors and regulators, while bringing together also traders, transport companies, migrants, smugglers, criminal groups and political actors.\n\nKapitan Andreevo is a particularly instructive case due to its strategic location, with thousands of trucks, travellers and goods passing through the border checkpoint daily.\n\nBefore Bulgaria’s EU accession, corruption at the checkpoint was already deeply embedded. The 1990s brought economic crisis, shortages of consumer goods, weak state capacity and rapidly expanding informal markets. Smuggling became a profitable survival strategy.\n\nBorder officials could be bribed to overlook undeclared goods, counterfeit products and tax evasion. Duty-free shops in the \"no man's land\" between Bulgaria and Türkiye became hubs for smuggling cigarettes, alcohol and petroleum products.\n\nCorruption operated at multiple levels:\n\n*   everyday exchanges between traders, drivers and officials, often based on long-standing personal relationships, at the lower level\n*   connections between politicians, senior civil servants, business elites and organised crime at the higher level.\n\nSmuggling routes required political protection. Profits flowed upward through patronage systems.\n\nEU accession changed the rules of the game\n\nBulgaria’s EU accession radically transformed the legal and institutional environment. The country had to align its customs regulations, VAT rules, excise tax systems, phytosanitary standards and border procedures with EU standards – a gradual process requiring significant investment. The reforms affected almost every aspect of border governance.\n\nCustoms procedures became increasingly digitalised. New systems such as the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) and the Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) improved cross-border monitoring.\n\nPhytosanitary and veterinary inspections became stricter. Migration controls tightened through alignment with Schengen rules and access to systems like the Schengen Information System (SIS) and international databases of stolen documents and vehicles.\n\nMeanwhile, new border control technologies – X-ray machines, scanners, thermal cameras and risk-analysis tools – expanded the state’s capacity to detect illicit activity.\n\nFrom a policy perspective, this appeared to be a modernisation success story. But criminal systems rarely remain static when the environment changes.\n\nCorruption did not decline – it adapted\n\nThe most striking finding is that stronger controls often increase the strategic value of corruption.\n\nAfter EU accession, crossing the border illegally became more difficult, risky and expensive. Corruption became necessary not only to speed up procedures but to bypass sophisticated control and regulatory systems.\n\nIn other words, modernisation transformed the function of corruption: Criminal actors began targeting specialised procedures, such as food safety inspections, VAT systems, automated license plate recognition, laboratory testing and digital customs controls.\n\nVAT fraud and the manipulation of digital systems\n\nVAT fraud illustrates this adaptation clearly. Within the EU, exports are often subject to a VAT rate of 0 (zero) percent, which means companies can reclaim any VAT they have already paid domestically. Criminal actors exploited this through \"carousel fraud\" schemes involving fictitious transactions chains.\n\nAt Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, for example, corruption allegedly enabled traders to manipulate customs procedures. One method involved corrupt officials manually entering fake truck registrations into customs systems to simulate border crossings, enabling fraudulent VAT refunds for exports that never occurred.\n\nEven more revealing was the manipulation of automated license plate recognition: corrupt actors reportedly disabled automated recognition and manually entered altered plates using Cyrillic characters resembling Latin letters, allowing smugglers to bypass alerts and inspections.\n\nThis illustrates a pattern seen in many modern corruption systems: digitalisation does not automatically eliminate corruption. Instead, corruption turns towards the technological systems themselves.\n\nFood safety, privatisation and rent-seeking\n\nEU food safety and phytosanitary regulations created new bottlenecks and forms of discretionary authority. The research describes two recurring manipulation strategies:\n\n*   selective sampling during inspections, where officials took samples only from \"clean\" sections of shipments; and\n*   falsification of laboratory tests to certify unsafe products as compliant.\n\nThese risks increased after some border functions were outsourced to private companies. At Kapitan Andreevo, food testing, parking operations and vehicle disinfection were privatised. This reform, intended to increase efficiency, allegedly created new opportunities for rent extraction.\n\nThe controversy surrounding Eurolab 2011, which reportedly obtained monopolistic control over food safety testing under questionable legal arrangements became emblematic of these tensions.\n\nThe broader implication: privatisation of public functions does not necessarily reduce corruption risks. It can shift them into hybrid public-private arrangements where accountability is weaker and oversight is more fragmented.\n\nThe rise of “routinised” corruption\n\nThe study highlights the increased organisation of corruption itself. Today, no single official can independently guarantee a smuggling route. Procedures involve multiple agencies, overlapping inspections and layered oversight.\n\nAs a result, corruption evolved towards collective coordination. Customs officers, border guards, supervisors, intermediaries and sometimes political actors participate in networks where bribes are pooled and redistributed.\n\nThese schemes resemble coordinated organisational systems with revenue-sharing mechanisms, internal hierarchies and protection structures rather than isolated rogue actors.\n\nThis reflects an important conceptual change: border corruption can function as an embedded institutional ecosystem sustained through cooperation, mutual dependence and political protection.\n\nDrug trafficking: when corruption becomes too risky\n\nInterestingly, corruption is not always the preferred strategy. In drug trafficking, for example, the risks are dramatically higher. Border officials caught facilitating drug trafficking could face severe criminal penalties, including organised crime charges and lengthy prison sentences.\n\nAs a result, traffickers increasingly invest in sophisticated concealment methods. One example is the \"twin trucks\" strategy: several nearly identical trucks carrying similar cargo cross the border simultaneously during heavy traffic, with only one of them containing drugs. Since inspection capacity is limited, the probability is high that the \"clean\" trucks are checked while the drug shipment passes undetected.\n\nThis shows that corruption and criminality do not always go hand in hand. Sometimes, stronger anti-corruption measures push criminals towards deception and concealment rather than bribery.\n\nThe bigger lesson: criminal systems are adaptive\n\nThe case study of the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing is not just about Bulgaria. Policymakers often assume that more technology, controls and regulation will automatically reduce corruption and illicit trade.\n\nBut criminal systems and corruption adapt. Informal networks reorganise around the vulnerabilities created by reforms. Every regulatory innovation creates new incentives, bottlenecks and opportunities for exploitation.\n\nThis does not mean reforms are useless. Many EU measures have clearly strengthened border management. However, reforms must be designed with an understanding of adaptive behaviour. Otherwise, states risk producing unintended consequences: stronger incentives for bribery, use of alternative trafficking routes, technological manipulation, new forms of collusion or opaque privatisation structures.\n\nI and my co-authors argue for a more integrated approach that combines anti-corruption and anti-crime strategies. We also emphasise the importance of anticipatory governance and foresight-oriented policymaking that try to predict how illicit actors will respond to institutional changes before reforms are implemented.\n\nThis may be the most important lesson from Kapitan Andreevo. Borders are not static lines defended by static institutions against static threats. They are evolving ecosystems where states, markets, technologies and criminal actors constantly adapt to one another.\n\nLearn more\n\n*   Access the full article, “[The Evolution of Corruption and Crimes at Kapitan Andreevo Border Checkpoint: The Impact of EU Accession](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fevolution-corruption-and-crimes-kapitan-andreevo-border-checkpoint-impact-eu-accession)”.\n*   Read our [Quick Guide 38 to border corruption](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fqg38) for a short introduction.\n*   Read our Working Paper 58, “Corruption as a facilitator of drug trafficking in the port of Rotterdam” for a related analysis.","2026-05-26","how-stronger-borders-can-create-smarter-corruption-lessons-from-one-of-europes-most-strategic-border-crossings-2972","How stronger borders can create smarter corruption: lessons from one of Europe's most strategic border crossings","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F693afaed-084c-4590-aafd-c2d51b28adf7?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[142,143],7814,7815,[17,18],[84],[147,151,153],{"tags_id":148},{"id":149,"name":150},859,"Corruption risks",{"tags_id":152},{"id":96,"name":97},{"tags_id":154},{"id":155,"name":156},1374,"Law enforcement",2972,[26],[84],[161],1373,[],[],"2026-06-04T21:13:44.000Z","2026-06-05T19:08:53.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-stronger-borders-can-create-smarter-corruption-lessons-from-one-of-europes-most-strategic-border-crossings-2972",{"id":169,"body":170,"status":6,"type":114,"date":171,"slug":172,"title":173,"image":174,"countries":175,"topic":176,"activity":177,"tags":179,"nid":180,"topics":181,"activities":182,"authors":183,"images":184,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":185,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":186,"user_updated":28,"date_updated":28,"content":187,"link":188},10616,"From grassroots transparency tools to global business integrity networks, this year’s finalists for the [International Collective Action Awards](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards) show the breadth, creativity and growing impact of Collective Action around the world.\n\nPublic voting is now open and everyone is invited to help choose the winners.\n\nThe Awards recognise organisations advancing business integrity through Collective Action – bringing together businesses, governments, civil society and other stakeholders to tackle corruption and strengthen fairer, more transparent markets. The winners will be announced during the [6th International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026) in Basel, Switzerland, on 9–10 June 2026.\n\nPresented by the Basel Institute on Governance since 2022, the Awards celebrate initiatives that demonstrate how Collective Action can deliver practical solutions to shared integrity challenges across sectors and regions.\n\n### A diverse field of finalists\n\nThis year’s finalists reflect the growing diversity of Collective Action initiatives worldwide. They range from long-running international integrity networks supporting small businesses, to innovative digital tools improving transparency in public infrastructure, to emerging platforms creating new opportunities for business engagement in global anti-corruption policymaking.\n\nThe shortlisted initiatives also highlight the geographical reach of Collective Action efforts today, with finalists working across Africa, Latin America, Europe and global multilateral platforms.\n\nAn international jury selected the finalists from a strong field of nominations representing a wide variety of sectors, approaches and partnerships.\n\n### Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action\n\nThis category is named in honour of the Basel Institute’s late Managing Director, [Gretta Fenner](https:\u002F\u002Fgretta.baselgovernance.org\u002F). It recognises organisations that have made a sustained and significant contribution to advancing Collective Action and promoting business integrity over time.\n\nThe 2026 finalists are:\n\n*   Alliance for Integrity – a global multi-stakeholder initiative that has built integrity networks across 16 countries and supported hundreds of trainers and companies in strengthening compliance and anti-corruption practices, particularly among SMEs.\n*   Anti-Corruption Collective Action Impact Centre – hosted by the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), the Centre supports locally led anti-corruption initiatives worldwide through mentorship, training and practical implementation support.\n*   Integridad Corporativa 500 (IC500) – a Mexican transparency benchmark initiative that evaluates the anti-corruption policies and governance practices of the country’s 500 largest companies, helping drive measurable improvements in corporate transparency.\n\n### Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer\n\nThe Inspirational Newcomer category recognises initiatives active for fewer than two years that have already shown strong promise and early impact.\n\nThis year’s finalists are:\n\n*   COSP Private Sector Platform – launched by the United Nations Global Compact and UNODC to create new opportunities for private sector participation in global anti-corruption policymaking linked to the UN Convention against Corruption.\n*   CoST Malawi Infrastructure Transparency Initiative: Red Flags Algorithm – an innovative digital tool that uses data analysis to identify potential corruption and procurement risks in public infrastructure projects in Malawi.\n*   TRIPODE: Collective Action for Business Integrity and SME Inclusion in Mexico – a joint initiative helping companies, especially SMEs, navigate integrity expectations through practical guidance, peer learning and public-private dialogue.\n\nAlthough very different in focus, the finalists all demonstrate the value of collaborative approaches in addressing complex integrity challenges – whether through technology, policy engagement or hands-on support for businesses.\n\n### An international jury with deep expertise\n\nThe finalists were pre-selected by an international jury bringing together expertise from governance, anti-corruption, journalism, international law and public policy.\n\nThe jury included Nathalie Delapalme, CEO of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Nicola Bonucci, former OECD Director of Legal Affairs and Basel Institute Board member, Rhoda Weeks-Brown, former General Counsel of the IMF, and award-winning investigative journalist Sheila S. Coronel of Columbia Journalism School.\n\nTheir collective experience spans anti-corruption policy, rule of law, investigative journalism, international governance and responsible business conduct, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of Collective Action itself.\n\n### Cast your vote\n\nPublic voting is open until 2 June 2026.\n\nVisit the [Awards page on the B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards) to learn more about the finalists and cast your vote in each category.\n\nThe Collective Action Awards are supported by the Siemens Integrity Initiative.","2026-05-20","cast-your-vote-in-the-2026-collective-action-awards-2969","Cast your vote in the 2026 Collective Action Awards","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa69747f0-c2e6-48f5-8e19-4e059e545b2f?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[15,16],[178],"",[],2969,[15,16],[],[],[],[],"2026-06-04T21:13:46.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcast-your-vote-in-the-2026-collective-action-awards-2969",{"id":190,"body":191,"status":6,"type":10,"date":192,"slug":193,"title":194,"image":195,"countries":196,"topic":197,"activity":199,"tags":200,"nid":205,"topics":206,"activities":207,"authors":208,"images":209,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":210,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":186,"user_updated":107,"date_updated":211,"content":212,"link":213},10617,"As the use of virtual assets accelerates worldwide, so too does their appeal to criminal actors looking to move money faster, hide transactions more effectively and stay one step ahead of enforcement authorities.\n\nAnd it’s natural that when people discuss crypto-related crime, the focus is often on governments, regulators, law enforcement agencies and the private sector – crypto exchanges, financial institutions and blockchain intelligence firms.\n\nWhat about international organisations, non-profits, expert networks and professional associations – what role do they play behind the scenes? And how much impact can they really have when it comes to tackling illicit activity involving virtual assets?\n\nThese questions were at the centre of a [webinar](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002FIOs_virtualassets) co-hosted by the Basel Institute on Governance and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The discussion brought together experts from the OSCE, the Basel Institute, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Moldova, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime.\n\nAcross the discussion, speakers kept circling around the same point: the crypto-crime field does not need more vague talk about cooperation or more one-off awareness workshops. It needs practical, sustained and operational forms of support that help investigators, prosecutors and financial intelligence units respond to increasingly sophisticated criminal activity.\n\n### Beyond awareness raising\n\nA recurring theme throughout the discussion was the gap between recognising the problem and building the capability to address it.\n\nSpeakers noted that crypto-related crime evolves faster than most institutions can adapt. Bots on the Telegram messaging app are now providing money-laundering-as-a-service, as one speaker noted by way of example. Criminal actors – and bots – exploit regulatory gaps, fragmented information-sharing systems and uneven levels of expertise across jurisdictions.\n\nAt the same time, many authorities are still in the early stages of developing operational capacity.\n\nThis is where international organisations and networks can play an important role. Not simply by producing guidance documents or organising workshops and conferences – which are necessary but not sufficient – but by helping countries build practical and lasting capabilities.\n\nThe OSCE shared examples from its regional [project on mitigating the money laundering risks of virtual assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002FIOs_virtualassets), which supports participating states across Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Mongolia.\n\nOne example was Moldova’s sectoral national risk assessment on virtual assets. Beyond identifying vulnerabilities, the process helped prompt institutional action and legislative development.\n\nThe OSCE also pointed to measurable operational outcomes linked to its capacity-building support. Institutions supported through the programme, for example, traced more than USD 100 million in illicit crypto assets in 2025 alone.\n\n### Why PowerPoint presentations are not enough\n\nSeveral speakers emphasised that complex investigations involving virtual assets and asset recovery require highly specialised expertise that cannot be built through isolated workshops.\n\nInvestigators need opportunities to apply knowledge in real cases. Financial intelligence units need ongoing mentoring and technical support. Prosecutors need to understand not only the technology itself but also how to present complex digital evidence in court.\n\nThe Basel Institute highlighted the importance of long-term engagement with practitioners. The approach of its [International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR)](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) includes combining case-centered training with hands-on mentoring, operational support on live cases and efforts to foster collaboration between different government agencies and with the private sector.\n\nTogether with highly effective train-the-trainer programmes, the focus is on helping agencies develop capabilities that can evolve alongside changing technologies and criminal methods, rather than delivering isolated workshops.\n\n### Networks that make cooperation operational\n\nThe webinar also challenged the tendency to talk about “international cooperation” in abstract terms. In practice, it’s difficult to develop trusting relationships between individuals and institutions operating in very different legal and cultural contexts, especially where there are language barriers.\n\nIn this environment, organisations such as the OSCE, Basel Institute, UNODC and the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime can act as connectors between sectors, jurisdictions and professional communities. They can:\n\n*   help investigators and practitioners exchange expertise and emerging typologies;\n*   create trusted channels for faster information sharing;\n*   connect authorities facing similar challenges across jurisdictions;\n*   support the development of common standards and approaches; and\n*   bridge gaps between public authorities, financial institutions and technical experts\n\nOne example is the Global Coalition’s proposal to develop a framework for sharing illict crypto wallet attribution data between public authorities – a major need, especially for jurisdictions without the resources to purchase multiple blockchain intelligence tools.\n\n### Research and analysis as a basis for action\n\nAnother important thread running through the webinar was the role of research and evidence-based analysis.\n\nAs technologies and criminal typologies evolve rapidly, policymakers and practitioners need reliable analysis rather than hype or speculation. Speakers discussed how international organisations support countries by analysing emerging threats, identifying trends and helping governments design informed legal and operational responses.\n\nSpeakers highlighted several concrete projects, such as UNODC research into [scam compounds](https:\u002F\u002Ftrack.unodc.org\u002Ftrack\u002Fen\u002Ftrack\u002Fresourcehub\u002F2025\u002Finflection_point_global_implications_of_scam_centres_underground_banking_and_illicit_online_marketplaces_in_southeast_asia.html) and cyber-enabled fraud in Southeast Asia and into the links between [cybercrime and corruption](https:\u002F\u002Ftrack.unodc.org\u002Ftrack\u002Fen\u002Ftrack\u002Fresourcehub\u002F2025\u002Fthe_nexus_between_cybercrime_and_corruption.html), and the Global Coalition’s research on links between gaming and crypto-related financial crime.\n\n### A rapidly evolving challenge\n\nThe webinar closed with a discussion on what aspects of collaboration participants would most like to strengthen in the virtual assets space.\n\nWhile perspectives differed, there was broad agreement that current models of cooperation and capacity building are still not moving fast enough to match the pace of technological change and criminal innovation.\n\nIt’s been said many times, but it warrants saying again: As virtual assets continue to evolve at breakneck speed, so too must the international response.\n\nThe discussion demonstrated that international organisations, non-profits and professional networks can have significant impact – particularly when they focus less on rhetoric and more on operational support, sustained partnerships and measurable outcomes.\n\n### Speakers\n\nWith thanks to our moderator, Vera Strobachova-Budway, Head of the Economic Governance Unit, OSCE, and to our excellent speakers:\n\n*   Erlin Agich, Associate Anti-Corruption Officer, OSCE\n*   Valentin Draganel, Deputy Head, Financial Intelligence Unit Moldova\n*   Alexandru Donciu, Specialist, Financial Investigations – Virtual Assets, Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Fabrizio Fioroni, AML\u002FCFT Advisor, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)\n*   Michal Gromek, Chair, Digital Assets Task Force, Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   View the recordings: browse the [full playlist](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutube.com\u002Fplaylist?list=PLYRnhpCcnLP8mqlkcvhkC5kNXuX1M7ax4&si=HeEsEW6u_V9OnsCb) or go straight to individual interventions: [Vera Strobachova-Budway](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FPyjFVx3Da1I), [Erlin Agich](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FyxyKjh2qbc0), [Valentin Draganel](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Ffn-P6Q1Q04Y), [Alexandru Donciu](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fi6AoR2bBGGk), [Fabrizio Fioroni](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FJCET83V2nFk) and [Michal Gromek](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fb18ACqpIM64), plus the final [lightning round](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fu61VF8rxR5k).\n*   Sign up to the second joint Basel Institute-OSCE webinar on the role of [investigative journalists in tackling crime linked to virtual assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fjournalism_virtualassets), on 2 June 2026.\n*   Read the OSCE’s [Decoding Crypto Crime – A Guide for Law Enforcement](https:\u002F\u002Foceea.osce.org\u002Foceea\u002F587475) in multiple languages.\n*   Learn more about the [OSCE Virtual Assets project](https:\u002F\u002Fprojects.osce.org\u002Fvirtualassets).\n*   Learn about the Global Coalition’s [Digital Asset Task Force](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gcffc.org\u002Fsectors\u002Fdigital-asset-task-force-(datf)) and how you can get involved.\n\nThe Basel Institute’s training opportunities are now open to individuals – learn more about short online courses on [crypto and blockchain compliance](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcrypto-aml-training) and [financial investigations and asset recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fassetrecovery-openenrolment); plus [postgraduate courses on anti-corruption and asset recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fstudy).","2026-05-19","virtual-assets-real-world-crime-and-the-search-for-effective-responses-2967","Virtual assets, real-world crime and the search for effective responses","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb16bddc0-613b-402f-baca-77cc9a835cd9?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[198,14],"Anti-Money Laundering",[21],[201],{"tags_id":202},{"id":203,"name":204},818,"Anti-money laundering",2967,[25],[21],[],[],[],"2026-06-07T10:43:50.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fvirtual-assets-real-world-crime-and-the-search-for-effective-responses-2967",{"id":215,"body":216,"status":6,"type":10,"date":217,"slug":218,"title":219,"image":220,"countries":221,"topic":222,"activity":223,"tags":224,"nid":234,"topics":235,"activities":236,"authors":237,"images":238,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":239,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":240,"user_updated":107,"date_updated":241,"content":242,"link":243},10621,"In this article, Celia Lourens examines the role of cross-sectoral trust for a functional business environment. Collective Action, she argues, can be an approach to overcoming trust deficits between relevant stakeholders. Celia Lourens supports the organisation of our 6th International Collective Action Conference.\n\nAt its core, anti-corruption Collective Action is about tackling corruption challenges together, rather than alone. Collective Action is primarily driven by businesses, often in collaboration with government representatives and civil society, to address a shared challenge and attain a common objective.\n\nBuilding trust is one critical element of Collective Action efforts, as it requires a genuine and sustained willingness from all involved stakeholders to collaborate.\n\n### Trust across sectors: the foundation of effective markets\n\nMarkets depend on trust – not only between businesses and their customers or employees and their organisational leadership, but between the institutions that shape the business environment:\n\n*   Business relies on regulatory bodies to create fair and predictable markets.\n*   Governments depend on businesses to act with integrity, beyond merely meeting compliance requirements.\n*   Civil society holds both public and private sectors accountable whilst advancing transparency and public confidence.\n\nWhere these relationships are founded in trust, business ecosystems function more effectively and markets remain stable.\n\nYet, cross-sector trust is increasingly under strain. Geopolitical volatility, tightening regulations and elevated complexity within supply chains are creating distance between the very actors who need to collaborate.\n\n### The cost of low-trust systems\n\nWhen trust between the private sector, government and civil society breaks down, the consequences are immediate: slower transactions, higher compliance costs and due diligence burdens, duplicated oversight and heightened reputational risk. Oversight becomes adversarial, compliance turns reactive and businesses invest more time managing risks than creating value.\n\nIn an era of heightened competitiveness, trust across sectors becomes the most valuable currency. Where it is systemically weak, a vicious cycle takes hold: low trust demands heightened scrutiny and more controls, which in turn erode trust further. Government enforcement of standards becomes inconsistent and civil society turns sceptical rather than being a partner.\n\nBreaking this cycle requires a different approach – one built on shared commitment, sustained engagement and coordinated action. This is where Collective Action comes into play.\n\n### Collective Action as a trust-building mechanism\n\nIn practice, Collective Action enables organisations to jointly raise integrity standards across industries, develop sector-specific norms and tackle systemic risks such as bribery and unethical conduct. Its ultimate objective – and the key incentive to participate in Collective Action initiatives – is to create fairer, more transparent markets where companies can compete on equal terms.\n\nBut beyond its role as an anti-corruption approach, Collective Action also serves as a powerful trust-building mechanism. In a low-trust environment, individual organisations acting ethically on their own can find themselves at a disadvantage. Collective Action changes this dynamic. Shared commitments level the playing field, the involvement of multiple stakeholders builds credibility and joint accountability mechanisms increase transparency.\n\nOver time, this collaborative approach fosters trust where it is hardest to achieve – between actors with different roles, responsibilities and pressures. The result is a shift in systemic behaviour that lowers the cost of doing business and drives a more predictable business environment.\n\n### From compliance to competitive advantage\n\nToo often, doing business with integrity is treated as a compliance obligation rather than a source of competitive advantage. Yet, in high-trust business environments, stronger partnerships and faster decision-making enable organisations to withstand disruptions. Organisations invested in building trust across their business ecosystem are better positioned to navigate complexity and sustain long-term value.\n\nCollective Action supports this shift by helping to shape markets that reward integrity, moving beyond a risk mitigation exercise.\n\n### Building trust in practice\n\nThis is exactly the focus of the [6th International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026), taking place on 9–10 June 2026 in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nBringing together leaders from business, government and civil society, the conference is designed as a space not just for dialogue, but for practical exchange. It showcases how Collective Action initiatives are being implemented across sectors, what makes them effective and how they can be adapted to different contexts.\n\nThe conference reflects a core conviction: trust across sectors does not happen by default but must be actively built. Organisations that commit to building trust together, as a collective, will not only manage risks more effectively, but help shape a new competitive advantage rooted in integrity.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   [6th International Collective Action Conference 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026)\n*   [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com)\n*   Working Paper 56: [Anti-corruption Collective Action: A typology for a new era](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F2397)\n*   Book: [Collective Action in practice: a game-changer for business integrity](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F2407)","2026-04-20","building-trust-how-collective-action-strengthens-business-ecosystems-2959","Building trust: how Collective Action strengthens business ecosystems","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc470512d-6eaf-404e-86ec-545ebd052655?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[15,16],[84],[225,228,232],{"tags_id":226},{"id":227,"name":15},909,{"tags_id":229},{"id":230,"name":231},830,"Business integrity",{"tags_id":233},{"id":96,"name":97},2959,[15,16],[84],[],[],[],"2026-06-04T21:13:50.000Z","2026-06-05T10:40:20.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbuilding-trust-how-collective-action-strengthens-business-ecosystems-2959",{"id":245,"body":246,"status":6,"type":114,"date":247,"slug":248,"title":249,"image":250,"countries":251,"topic":253,"activity":254,"tags":256,"nid":257,"topics":258,"activities":259,"authors":260,"images":261,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":262,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":263,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":264,"content":265,"link":266},10605,"> These administrative steps are where asset recovery really happens… when dirty assets are transformed into resources that support law enforcement and serve the public good.\n\nWith these words, [Oscar Solórzano](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Foscar-solorzano), Head of Latin America at the Basel Institute on Governance, captured the often unseen but transformative impact of asset recovery. \n\nHis remark follows a high-level meeting in Peru marking the final phase of a pioneering international agreement.\n\nOn 26 March 2026, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru hosted the Meeting of the States Parties to the [Tripartite Agreement between Peru, Switzerland and Luxembourg](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fit-takes-three-tango-switzerland-luxembourg-and-peru-sign-agreement-return-usd-26-million) on the transfer of confiscated assets. \n\nOpened by Minister Luis Enrique Jiménez Borra, the meeting brought together key Peruvian institutions alongside representatives of the Swiss authorities to review progress, assess institutional impact and discuss the next steps towards closure.\n\n### From frozen assets to public benefit\n\nThrough this cooperation, assets derived from corruption cases and previously frozen abroad have been returned to Peru and reinvested in strengthening the justice system. \n\nProjects funded under the agreement have enhanced the capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption and organised crime, improved coordination between institutions and strengthened mechanisms for asset recovery and asset management.\n\nThe National Program for Seized Assets ([PRONABI](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gob.pe\u002Fpronabi)) has overseen the transparent and accountable administration of these funds, ensuring they directly support institutions at the forefront of combating corruption.\n\nHighlighting the broader significance of the initiative, Minister Jiménez Borra stated:\n\n> International cooperation can turn assets derived from corruption into concrete tools for strengthening justice and public integrity. The Tripartite Agreement shows how recovered assets can be reinvested to benefit citizens and strengthen the rule of law.\n\n### Strong international partnership and Swiss engagement\n\nPeru’s tripartite collaboration with Switzerland and Luxembourg has provided a strong framework for cooperation. It demonstrates how countries can work together to return illicit assets in a transparent and impactful way. \n\nThe Basel Institute on Governance, through its [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) (ICAR), has played a central role in supporting implementation by providing technical advice and accompanying institutions throughout the process. \n\nPaul Garnier, Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru, noted: \n\n> This meeting provides an important opportunity to review the current status of the project and the progress achieved so far. Switzerland also values the continued technical support provided by the Basel Institute on Governance throughout the implementation of this initiative. \n\nDuring the technical session, Oscar Solórzano and [Límberg Chero](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Flimberg-chero), a senior member of the Basel Institute’s [Public Finance Management programme in Peru](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-finance-peru), shared reflections on the implementation, impact and sustainability of the projects.\n\nCelso Alfredo Saavedra Sobrados, Executive Coordinator of PRONABI, emphasise that:\n\n> PRONABI has worked to ensure that the restituted funds are administered with transparency, efficiency and accountability, so that they directly contribute to strengthening the institutions responsible for combating corruption.\n\nHe also highlighted the close and timely technical support provided by the Basel Institute on Governance during the implementation of the project.\n\n### Setting a regional example for asset recovery\n\nThe experience demonstrates how sustained international cooperation, combined with targeted technical support, can ensure that recovered assets deliver tangible benefits for citizens and reinforce the rule of law.\n\nIt also offers a compelling example for other jurisdictions, showing that asset return can be both practical and impactful when underpinned by trust, transparency and shared objectives. \n\nThe hope is that this model will inspire further mutually beneficial efforts to return stolen assets and put them to work for the public good.","2026-04-02","where-asset-recovery-really-happens-peru-advances-landmark-restitution-initiative-2949","Where asset recovery really happens: Peru advances landmark restitution initiative","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Facf1f9c4-3c0f-46da-a4c6-cb846ceacb26?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[252],7806,[14],[255],"International cooperation",[],2949,[25],[255],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:17.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:39.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fwhere-asset-recovery-really-happens-peru-advances-landmark-restitution-initiative-2949",{"id":268,"body":269,"status":6,"type":10,"date":270,"slug":271,"title":272,"image":273,"countries":274,"topic":275,"activity":276,"tags":278,"nid":281,"topics":282,"activities":283,"authors":284,"images":285,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":286,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":287,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":288,"content":289,"link":298},10607,"Corruption is not just a collection of isolated acts by individuals. It is a complex, adaptive system that evolves in response to efforts to control it. And seeing it this way opens up new possibilities to tackle it more effectively.\n\nThis was the central message of a recent Basel Institute on Governance research webinar exploring how corruption evolves and what this means for designing interventions that remain effective over time.\n\nTwo senior researchers from the Basel Institute's Prevention, Research and Innovation – Dr Claudia Baez Camargo and Dr Jacopo Costa – were joined by Dr Maria Nizzero, Head of Sanctions Policy at UK Finance and Associate Research Fellow at RUSI, to explore corruption's networked nature and its implications.\n\nThese implications are practical as much as conceptual. Understanding corruption as a networked, adaptive system changes how corruption, organised crime, sanctions evasion and related threats need to be addressed in practice.\n\n### Corruption as a dynamic system\n\nA recent [academic paper](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fconceptualizing-evolution-corruption-empirical-analysis-italy) by Dr Baez Camargo and Dr Costa highlights a key gap in how corruption is typically analysed. While it is widely accepted that corrupt and criminal strategies change over time, the mechanisms driving that change have received far less attention.\n\nTheir analytical framework suggests that corruption evolves through changes in the behaviour of individuals within networks, shaped by shifts in the broader environment. These shifts may include stronger enforcement, legal and regulatory reforms, technological developments, or wider political and economic change. When new strategies prove effective, they spread across networks through collaboration, brokerage and imitation.\n\nA case study of Italy illustrates this process. In the early 1990s, corruption operated through relatively centralised, pyramidal structures linked to political parties. Over time, following scandals, reforms and increased scrutiny, this system became more fragmented and decentralised. Corrupt practices moved away from formalised exchanges and became more networked, informal and embedded in relationships.\n\nThe outcome was not less corruption, but different corruption.\n\nAs Dr Costa noted, corruption and anti-corruption are engaged in an “uninterrupted dance”, in which “very often, corrupt actors are two steps ahead of us”.\n\n### The concept of the “kleptocratic enterprise”\n\nLooking at corruption through a network lens also opens up new ways of thinking about how to tackle it.\n\n[Research by Dr Nizzero and co-authors](https:\u002F\u002Fgiace.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F01\u002FGIACE_Kleptocratic-Enterprises_NizzeroHeathershawMayne.pdf) Professor John Heathershaw and Professor Tom Mayne highlights the persistent challenges of asset recovery and enforcement in cases of large-scale corruption. Illicit wealth is often concealed through complex ownership structures, dispersed across jurisdictions and distanced from its original source over time. Legal frameworks may exist, but applying them effectively remains difficult.\n\nA key part of the problem lies in the role of professional service providers. Lawyers, accountants, real estate actors, company service providers and others help move, manage and shield assets. These actors often operate across borders and may serve a wide range of clients, including both organised crime groups and politically exposed individuals.\n\nThis has led to the idea of a “kleptocratic enterprise”: a networked system in which clients demand services such as concealment and asset protection, and a range of actors supply those services. Viewing corruption in this way shifts attention towards patterns of conduct, relationships and enabling structures.\n\nIt also suggests that tools used to tackle organised crime, such as anti-racketeering or anti-mafia approaches, may offer useful insights. These frameworks often focus on networks rather than individuals, combine multiple legal tools and allow for a broader understanding of harm, including the impact on society.\n\nAt the same time, responses must remain grounded in due process and the rule of law. Stronger measures can create new risks, including displacement of illicit activity to other jurisdictions or unintended consequences linked to overreach. The challenge is to expand the toolkit without compromising core legal principles.\n\n### When enforcement creates new risks\n\nField research by the Basel Institute under the EU-funded [FALCON project](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.falcon-horizon.eu\u002F) shows how quickly corrupt and criminal networks adapt to enforcement pressure.\n\nAt the [Port of Rotterdam](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-58), increased inspections and surveillance aimed at tackling drug trafficking made insider access more valuable. Corruption became a critical mechanism for bypassing strengthened controls, illustrating how enforcement can shift incentives in ways that reinforce the role of corruption.\n\nAt the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey, changes linked to EU accession, including new regulatory frameworks and stronger border controls, were followed by new forms of corruption and criminal activity. These included routinised extractive practices, shifts in smuggling strategies and the emergence of new actors.\n\nAcross both cases, the pattern is consistent. Measures designed to reduce corruption and illicit activity can reshape how those activities are organised and carried out.\n\n### Why networks are so resilient\n\nOne reason corruption adapts so effectively lies in the nature of the networks themselves.\n\nAs Dr Baez Camargo explains, enforcement-focused approaches can become a “whack-a-mole game” when underlying incentives remain unchanged. Efforts to close one avenue often lead to the emergence of another.\n\n[Informal networks](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-23-informal-networks-and-anti-corruption) are particularly resilient because they are built on more than financial exchange. Trust, personal relationships and shared social norms play a central role. These elements are difficult to detect, harder to regulate and highly adaptable.\n\nCriminal and corrupt networks are also flexible and opportunistic. They can shift strategies, routes and methods quickly, drawing on significant resources and expertise. Formal institutions, by contrast, operate within legal and procedural constraints, which can limit their ability to respond at the same pace.\n\n### Towards more adaptive responses\n\nIf corruption behaves like a complex adaptive system, anti-corruption efforts need to reflect that reality.\n\nOne emerging approach is to place greater emphasis on understanding systems rather than focusing narrowly on individual interventions. This involves mapping relationships, incentives and behavioural patterns in much greater depth, and remaining alert to how these evolve over time.\n\nIt also requires a shift away from strictly linear theories of change. Fixed indicators and predefined outcomes can miss important developments, particularly when systems are dynamic and interconnected. A more flexible approach allows practitioners to identify early signals of change, whether positive or negative, and adjust their strategies accordingly.\n\nAs Dr Baez Camargo puts it, “we cannot keep thinking that change is linear”. A better understanding of systems, combined with the ability to detect and respond to change, is essential for staying relevant in rapidly evolving contexts.\n\n### A shift in perspective\n\nTaken together, these insights point to a broader conclusion. Corruption is not static, and responses to it cannot be static either.\n\nUnderstanding corruption as a networked, adaptive system changes how problems are defined and how solutions are designed. It brings greater attention to relationships, incentives and enabling structures. It also highlights the importance of anticipating how systems will respond to interventions.\n\nFor practitioners working on corruption, organised crime or related risks, this shift is increasingly important. Integrating it into programming should help us not only respond more quickly as corruption adapts – i.e. whack the moles more rapidly when they pop up. It should also help us design flexible, creative and context-sensitive interventions that can genuinely disrupt these resilient illicit networks and themselves adapt to remain effective over time.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   [Conceptualizing the evolution of corruption: an empirical analysis from Italy](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fconceptualizing-evolution-corruption-empirical-analysis-italy), by Dr Jacopo Costa and Dr Claudia Baez Camargo.\n*   [Corruption as a facilitator of drug trafficking in the port of Rotterdam](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-58), by Dr Saba Kassa and Dr Jacopo Costa \n*   [The Kleptocratic Enterprise: Lessons from organised crime to target transnational corruption and strengthen asset recovery in the UK](https:\u002F\u002Fgiace.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F01\u002FGIACE_Kleptocratic-Enterprises_NizzeroHeathershawMayne.pdf), by Dr Maria Nizzero, Professor John Heathershaw and Professor Tom Mayne\n\n### Webinar recording\n\n\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FETQto16U_q4?si=yrjbtCTRmQ5ceTPo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"560\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\nDisclaimer\n\n_This webinar and summary are part of the FALCON (Fight Against Largescale Corruption and Organised Crime Networks) project. FALCON is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Program Grant Agreement ID 101121281. The Basel Institute on Governance, as an associated partner without the right to receive funds directly from the European Research Executive Agency, has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The contents of this summary are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency or SERI._","2026-03-25","corruption-is-a-complex-adaptive-network-what-does-this-mean-for-anti-corruption-policy-and-practice-2945","Corruption is a complex, adaptive network. What does this mean for anti-corruption policy and practice?","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faf37ba1d-85e1-4724-ab47-4e58056330c6?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[17,18],[21,277],"Research",[279],{"tags_id":280},{"id":96,"name":97},2945,[26],[21,277],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:18.000Z","2026-05-07T21:29:58.000Z",[290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297],1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcorruption-is-a-complex-adaptive-network-what-does-this-mean-for-anti-corruption-policy-and-practice-2945",{"id":300,"body":301,"status":6,"type":10,"date":302,"slug":303,"title":304,"image":305,"countries":306,"topic":307,"activity":308,"tags":309,"nid":310,"topics":311,"activities":312,"authors":313,"images":315,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":316,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":317,"user_updated":51,"date_updated":318,"content":319,"link":320},10608,"_Criminal assets can cross borders in hours, while international asset recovery often struggles to keep pace. The INTERPOL Silver Notice is designed to close this gap by enabling earlier identification and tracing of criminal assets across jurisdictions. Can this new instrument fundamentally change how law enforcement responds to the rapid flight of illicit wealth?_\n\nCriminal funds can be moved across jurisdictions, layered through shell companies or converted into digital assets in a matter of hours. By contrast, international legal cooperation frequently moves at a far slower pace. The mismatch between the speed of asset flight and the pace of enforcement is one of the central reasons why several international bodies estimate that a very high proportion of [criminal assets](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.interpol.int\u002Fen\u002FNews-and-Events\u002FNews\u002F2025\u002FINTERPOL-publishes-first-Silver-Notice-targeting-criminal-assets#:~:text=Valdecy%20Urquiza%2C%20INTERPOL%20Secretary%20General,of%20criminal%20assets%20remain%20unrecovered.) ultimately remain unrecovered.\n\nINTERPOL’s Silver Notices seek to narrow this gap. They provide law enforcement with an early, structured mechanism to identify and trace assets across borders, strengthening one of the weakest stages of asset recovery: the initial [identification of criminal assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Finterpols-silver-notice-paving-way-improved-asset-recovery). For practitioners dealing with fraud, corruption, money laundering and organised crime, Silver Notices reflect a shift toward treating asset recovery as an enforcement priority rather than merely a consequence of criminal conviction.\n\n### The state of play\n\nINTERPOL launched the Silver Notice as a pilot initiative in January 2025, involving 52 jurisdictions across all regions. [As of November 2025, 133 Silver Notices and 35 Diffusions had been published](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.interpol.int\u002FNews-and-Events\u002FNews\u002F2025\u002FTogether-Against-Crime-INTERPOL-General-Assembly-approves-blueprint-for-future) at the request of 39 countries, linked to suspected financial harm exceeding EUR 30 billion, according to INTERPOL.\n\nSwitzerland does not currently participate in the pilot and therefore does not issue Silver Notices. However, Swiss authorities may still receive Silver Notices and share information through existing police cooperation channels.\n\nIn November 2025, during the 93rd INTERPOL General Assembly in Marrakech, delegates approved the extension of the Silver Notice pilot, allowing additional jurisdictions to participate. For practitioners, this expansion matters: broader participation directly increases the likelihood that assets can be identified and preserved before they are moved beyond the reach of enforcement authorities.\n\n### What is the Silver Notice?\n\nINTERPOL Notices enable countries to share critical criminal intelligence and request operational assistance across borders. A Silver Notice is a non-coercive intelligence tool designed to support the identification and tracing of assets linked to serious criminal offences. It does not, by itself, authorise the freezing, seizure or confiscation of assets. Any such measures must be taken in accordance with national law and applicable judicial procedures.\n\nIn practice, Silver Notices may be used to:\n\n*   flag bank accounts, real estate, corporate holdings and digital assets;\n*   identify beneficial owners or persons exercising control over assets;\n*   enable secure and structured intelligence sharing between participating jurisdictions.\n\n### From identification to legal action\n\nOne of the most persistent challenges in cross-border asset recovery lies in the slow and often complex operation of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanisms used to gather evidence or freeze assets. Evidentiary thresholds and procedural requirements vary widely across jurisdictions, and delays in cooperation can allow assets to be dissipated.\n\nWhen a Silver Notice leads to the identification of assets, the jurisdiction in which they are located informs the requesting country and INTERPOL, outlines domestic legal options, and acts within its legal framework. Early bilateral engagement allows investigators and prosecutors to align MLA requests with domestic standards, shortening the transition from intelligence to evidence and from tracing to freezing, helping preserve asset value and improving the prospects of confiscation and victim restitution or compensation.\n\n### Safeguards and limits\n\nBefore any Notice is circulated, it must pass a strict legal compliance review to ensure that it complies with INTERPOL’s Constitution, including the prohibition on matters of a political, military, racial or religious character. These safeguards are essential to maintaining trust between member countries and protecting the system from misuse, particularly in sensitive or high-profile cases.\n\nThe Silver Notice is also deliberately designed to avoid coercive overreach. Key safeguards include:\n\n*   restriction to serious criminal offences;\n*   a requirement for a clear factual link between the assets and suspected criminal conduct;\n*   use within the framework of national legal systems, including judicial or prosecutorial oversight where required.\n\nAt the same time, Silver Notices are not without limitations. For example, in politically sensitive cases, careful scrutiny is required to ensure that asset-tracing requests are not used to advance improper objectives. This makes the robustness and independence of INTERPOL’s compliance review mechanisms particularly important.\n\nUltimately, Silver Notices are not a solution to all asset recovery challenges. Their effectiveness depends on domestic legal framework and the willingness and ability of authorities to act on shared intelligence. They enhance international cooperation, but they do not replace the need for strong national asset recovery regimes or effective MLA processes.\n\n### Closing the enforcement gap\n\nThe speed at which criminal assets move across borders continues to outpace traditional enforcement tools. Silver Notices respond to this challenge by enabling earlier asset tracing and more timely operational engagement between jurisdictions.\n\nMore broadly, Silver Notices reflect an evolving approach to financial crime enforcement that prioritises proactive, intelligence-led intervention over reactive asset recovery at the end of lengthy criminal proceedings. Silver Notices are an enabler, not a shortcut. Used effectively and responsibly, they can strengthen the strategic focus on asset recovery and materially improve the prospects of asset confiscation and victim restitution.\n\n_This blog is also published on the [Hochschule Luzern Economic Crime Blog here](https:\u002F\u002Fhub.hslu.ch\u002Feconomiccrime\u002F?p=6536)._","2026-03-16","interpol-silver-notices-speeding-up-the-tracing-of-criminal-assets-2944","INTERPOL Silver Notices: Speeding up the tracing of criminal assets","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fdaf2f81c-8270-46aa-93a2-3a8a469a7420?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[198,14],[84],[],2944,[198,25],[84],[314],1371,[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:19.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:40.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Finterpol-silver-notices-speeding-up-the-tracing-of-criminal-assets-2944",{"id":322,"body":323,"status":6,"type":114,"date":324,"slug":325,"title":326,"image":327,"countries":328,"topic":329,"activity":330,"tags":331,"nid":332,"topics":333,"activities":334,"authors":335,"images":336,"websites":28,"area":28,"programme":28,"language":104,"translations":337,"translation_of":28,"user_created":50,"date_created":338,"user_updated":28,"date_updated":28,"content":339,"link":340},10610,"Nominations are now open for the [International Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards\u002F), recognising organisations and initiatives that demonstrate leadership, impact and innovation in advancing Collective Action to prevent corruption and strengthen business integrity.\n\nThe awards will be presented at the [International Collective Action Conference 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fregistration-open-6th-international-collective-action-conference), taking place on 9–10 June 2026 in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nOrganisations and initiatives can submit their nomination for two award categories:\n\n*   Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action 2026 – acknowledging significant contributions towards fairer market conditions and the prevention of corruption through engagement in Collective Action.\n*   Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer 2026 – showcase accomplishments of initiatives that have been active in the field of anti-corruption Collective Action for less than two years.\n\nNomination are open until 27 March 2026.\n\nThe anti-corruption Collective Action Awards are non-monetary and will only be granted to organisations, not individuals. \n\n### Selection process\n\nEligible nominations will be reviewed by an international jury of experts. The three highest-scoring initiatives in each category will be shortlisted as finalists. Winners will then be determined through a combined vote of the jury and the public, with each jury member and the public vote carrying equal weight.\n\nPublic voting will take place online and will be anonymous. \n\n#### Jury members\n\nThe 2026 jury includes:\n\n*   Nathalie Delapalme, Chief Executive Officer of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation\n*   Nicola Bonucci, Board Member of the Basel Institute on Governance and former Director for Legal Affairs at the OECD\n*   Rhoda Weeks-Brown, Founder and CEO of Cape Palmas Global Advisors LLC and former General Counsel of the IMF\n\nThe awards are presented with the support of the [Siemens Integrity Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-institute-awarded-new-siemens-integrity-initiative-evolve-funding-advance-global).\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   For more information on the eligibility criteria, the selection process and the public vote, see our [award methodology](https:\u002F\u002Fb20-dev.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa54d560f-0d11-439a-ac88-8bf89a6a2120).\n*   Learn more on the [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F), the Basel Institute's platform for knowledge and engagement on anti-corruption Collective Action.","2026-03-04","international-collective-action-awards-2026-nominations-open-2941","International Collective Action Awards 2026: nominations open","https:\u002F\u002Fbg24.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcms\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F7d9267b4-5c9c-4c0d-81a2-a1ca5c34eaa9?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[15,16],[21],[],2941,[15,16],[21],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:21.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Finternational-collective-action-awards-2026-nominations-open-2941",{"left":342,"top":342,"width":343,"height":343,"rotate":342,"vFlip":344,"hFlip":344,"body":345},0,20,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17 10a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H5.612l4.158 3.96a.75.75 0 1 1-1.04 1.08l-5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.08l5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 1 1 1.04 1.08L5.612 9.25H16.25A.75.75 0 0 1 17 10\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\u002F>",1780868702708]