Taking on inaction as the main reason behind corruption, EU commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom has said that the extent of servile means is “breathtaking”, which costs the EU economy a minimum of 120 billion Euros annually. She has presented a full report on the current problem. She said the cost of corruption was actually much higher than the estimated worth. This startling fact has led to the evaluation of three-fourth of Europe. The commission study reveals that corruption was rampant, and more than half affirmed an increase in it. Although Sweden has minimum problems related to corruption, the total situation is scary, said Ms Malmstroem in Sweden’s Goeteborgs-Posten newspaper.
As things turn out, EU has to bear the brunt of this, which is equivalent to the annual budget of the total block. As per the report is concerned, the commission assessed corruption parameters in all the 28 nations of European Union for the first time. Following clear evidence, bribery is widespread in this context. National governments and not the EU institutions are responsible for tackling corruption in the body. But, she said that both the EU parliament and national centers have urged the Commission to channelize the EU-wide survey. The Commission drafts definite EU laws and enforces proportionate adherence to EU treaties.
A poll conducted to know if people are personally affected by this deluge of corruption in routine life, shows staggering figures. In the UK, only five out of 1, 115m which accounts to less than one percent said they had been expected to bribe. This is was the most heartening result in all Europe, the report suggests. However, 64 percent British respondents affirmed their belief that corruption was rampant in that country. The EU average in this regard is about 74 percent. There are some countries with a comparatively large number of cases with personal accounts of bribery.
These countries include Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Croatia, Czech Republic and Greece. High levels of bribery are also evident in Poland (15%), Hungary (13%) and Slovakia (14%). The most prevalent and conspicuous instances occur in the healthcare industry. Corruption was causing an erosion of trust on democracy and draining resources from the economy, she adds by saying that political misgivings and unwillingness to eradicate it from the roots is the major canker in the path of development. The anti-fraud unit of EU is focusing on corruption charges affecting its budget. But limited resources are impeding any substantial progress. The Swedish model has provided great succor in this regard.
