Governments continue to reform their laws, institutions and policies to reduce corruption risks, yet putting these reforms into practice remains a significant challenge, according to a new OECD report.
The OECD Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2026 analyses national integrity systems in 62 countries worldwide, across seven thematic areas: anti-corruption and integrity strategies, lobbying, conflict of interest, political finance, transparency of public information, integrity of the disciplinary system for civil servants and integrity of the justice system.
Drawing on data from the OECD Public Integrity Indicators (PIIs), the Outlook assesses the strengths and gaps in countries' integrity systems, highlighting both progress that has been made as well as the uneven implementation of integrity measures in many countries. It explores tools for mitigating evolving corruption risks related to fraud, public procurement and organised crime, and provides recommendations for strengthening national integrity systems and reinforcing anti-corruption frameworks.
OECD data show that across all areas, the average gap between the strength of integrity regulations (63%) and their implementation (44%) in OECD countries stands at 19 percentage points, compared to a 26 percentage-point gap in partner countries. This gap underlines the potential for improvement, as does another finding: only one in four OECD Members - and around half of non-member countries - track the implementation of their anti-corruption strategies.
"Strong anti-corruption and integrity safeguards are the foundation for effective public policy, the efficient use of public resources and a sound environment for business certainty and investment." OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said. "Governments need to step up implementation and close gaps in their frameworks to meet citizens' expectations for efficient and trustworthy public services and to tackle the growing threat of organised crime. To do this, they can leverage innovative tools such as AI and strengthen engagement with business and civil society."
Strengthening integrity in justice systems is identified as a key area for further action. While most countries have conflict-of-interest policies in place for judges and prosecutors, these officials only consistently submit required interest declarations in less than one-third of OECD countries. The report suggests that monitoring of conflicts of interest should focus on the highest risk situations, and disclosure of interests should be stronger.
The Outlook shows that alongside measures for government, countries are often setting specific strategic objectives to target corruption in the private sector. While this is a positive development, it should be accompanied by additional efforts to safeguard other vulnerable areas, such as state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The Outlook also highlights how countries are increasingly using data and digital technologies to boost the implementation of their existing strategies and to reinforce public integrity. Examples include the growing use of machine learning and data analytics to improve risk management and auditing, as well as expanded use of AI tools to detect fraud, waste and other irregularities.
The Outlook was released during the 2026 OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, which offers government officials and stakeholders an opportunity to discuss how integrity and anti-corruption efforts, traditionally seen as safeguards, can also serve as engines for performance, resilience and innovation. Drawing on public and private sector experiences, the Forum is examining how strong enforcement, sound governance, as well as data-driven and agile integrity systems can prevent fraud, improve decision-making, and foster environments where ethical business and resilient growth can thrive. Discussions will focus on innovative strategies to show how fighting corruption can directly support economic efficiency, investor confidence, and long-term value creation for all.
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