The European Parliament called on Thursday for the creation of a European Union blacklist of countries where corruption is rife, to help the EU make decisions on providing development aid.
In a report by Dutch Member of European Parliament Margrietus Van den Berg, backed by the 732-seat EU assembly, it also demanded more transparency in the massive development budget of the EU, the biggest provider of aid in the world.
According to estimates by the African Union contained in the report, corruption on the continent costs governments some $148-billion US dollars a year, or about 25% of GDP.
The World Bank has estimated that more than $1 000-billion is paid out in bribes around the world.
Demanding a crackdown, EU lawmakers demanded a ban on EU contracts ”with companies whose employees have been involved in corrupt activities with … ministers or officials, or in any other way within a developing country”.
They also called for the bloc to set up an international system of blacklisting to prevent banks from lending large sums of money to corrupt regimes or individuals representing a government.
The EU Parliament’s report is purely consultative, and does not require the European Commission or EU governments to take specific action.
The 25-nation EU provides some 55% of global development assistance, 20% managed by the European Commission, which backs aid programs around the world, according to EU figures. — Sapa-AFP