After being called upon by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts, France recently examined draft legislation which would do exactly that.  While discussions before the French Parliament are not expected to begin for a few months, the implications of this legislation are expansive, and represent a revolution in French anti-corruption law.

Key points of the drafted legislation include:

  • Creation of a proper anti-corruption national agency
  • Mandatory requirement of implementation of a compliance program
  • Implementation of French Sunshine Act requirements
  • A true legal status for whistle-blowers
  • Possibility of signing off-setting agreements in case of prosecution
  • A dissuasive fining arsenal
  • Applicability of the French law to bribery offence committed in foreign countries

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