In April 2026, the European Council gave the final go-ahead to a new directive (Directive) that will harmonize anti-corruption laws among the E.U.’s member countries. When transposed into national laws, the Directive will provide a standard definition of corruption, a common level of penalties for such offenses, rules to strengthen investigations and prosecutions, and new specialized bodies to prevent corruption. It also will introduce a standalone offense of trading in influence, a “failure to prevent” form of corporate liability and extraterritorial reach. The Anti-Corruption Report spoke with European counsel to understand the potential implications of the Directive. See our two-part series on emerging global compliance standards: “DOJ, OECD and World Bank Guidance” (Oct. 22, 2025), and “AFA, SFO and Eight Common Compliance Elements” (Nov. 5, 2025).