International anti-corruption conventions and other international instruments have been developed at the global, international, regional and sub-regional level, within a range of inter-governmental institutions. In any given region, several different anti-corruption instruments may apply.

TI chapters in all these regions have given high priority to promoting the signature and ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) a high priority. They are also planning a campaign for an effective UNCAC monitoring process. The national chapters in the industrialised countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are now also promoting enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, and contributing to monitoring its enforcement. The signatory countries are in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

There is also conventions work in progress on a purely regional basis. In Africa, TI national chapters are actively advocating ratification and implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. In the Americas they are promoting and contributing to monitoring the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Convention of the Organization of American States (OAS). In Europe TI chapters regularly contribute to the Council of Europe / GRECO process for monitoring the Council of Europe Conventions and other instruments.

In Africa anti-corruption conventions have been developed at the global, regional and sub-regional level. Each of these conventions has evolved in response to specific demands, pressures and needs at particular points in time. They represent, step-by-step, an evolution in the approach to the corruption problem from the late 1990s through 2003.

The conventions and protocols relevant for Africa take a comprehensive approach to the corruption problem, including preventive and punitive measures, as well as measures relating to international cooperation.

With the resulting multi-layered collection of anti-corruption agreements, it is important that governments and civil society organisations determine where the conventions overlap and where they differ, and also determine in which forums review of implementation is likely to be the most effective.

See a table of signatures and ratifications in Africa here.

The two main anti-corruption conventions to apply in the Americas are the OAS Convention and the UN Convention against Corruption. Both take a comprehensive approach to the corruption problem, incorporating preventive and punitive measures, as well as measures relating to international cooperation. The UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime is also applicable in all countries of the Americas.

In addition to these there is a fourth, narrower international convention, the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention with application in only six of the countries in the Americas, namely Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and the USA. This fourth convention addresses the supply side of international bribery and covers 37 major exporting countries, in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Finally, two countries in the Americas, the US and Mexico, are subject to the Council of Europe Criminal and Civil Law Conventions.

See a table of signatures and ratifications in the Americas here.

The Asia region has lagged behind other regions in the development of a regional anti-corruption convention. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is the first comprehensive anti-corruption convention applicable throughout the Asia-Pacific region, supplemented by the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC).

Since the end of the 1990s, four leading countries in the region - Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea - have been subject to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Anti-Bribery Convention, which addresses the supply side of international bribery and covers 37 major exporting countries.

Since 2001, Asian countries have had the opportunity to adhere to a non-binding instrument applicable in the Asia region, the ADB-OECD Anti-Corruption Action Plan for Asia-Pacific.

See a table of signatures and ratifications in the Asia-Pacific region here.

The first steps towards a regional approach to the corruption problem in Europe were taken at the level of the European Union (EU), at the same time as the OAS Convention was in development in the Americas. The first EU Convention to touch on the subject in 1995 was followed by a further EU Convention and two Protocols.

In 1997, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adopted an Anti-Bribery Convention applying to 37 major exporting countries, a majority of them in Europe. In 1999, the two Council of Europe Conventions, and, finally, in 2000 and 2003 the two United Nations Conventions were adopted. European countries are now covered by many levels of international anti-corruption agreements.

See a table of signatures and ratifications in Europe here.

Prior to the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption and the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime, there was no international anti-corruption convention or regional instrument applicable in the Middle East. Thus, these two global instruments will be of particular importance in the region.

See a table of signatures and ratifications in the Middle East here.