National Anti-Corruption Strategy

The Finnish government published its National Anti-Corruption strategy with an Action Plan for implementation in May 2021.¹ The policy document is a new strategy that did not previously exist, yet its conception dates to the creation of the National Anti-Corruption network in 2014, which was tasked with drafting the strategy. The network brought together different ministries, law enforcement entities, other public sector representatives such as municipal representatives, and Transparency International Finland.²

The first draft of the strategy was published in 2017, and the ministers responsible for the rule of law and internal security decided on the final strategy in 2019. In April 2020, a cross-ministry working group finalised the technical preparation of the strategy and action plan. Political commitment to the strategy was made in May 2021.¹

Covering 2021-2023, the strategy is an extensive document that comprehensively addresses current challenges in the Finnish anti-corruption framework, as well as international recommendations by GRECO, the OECD, and others. It includes 77 action targets and the following focus points:

• Reinforcement and clarification of the official structures for preventing and combatting corruption and improvement of cooperation between the parties involved.
• Raised awareness of corruption.
• Increased transparency.
• Promotion of the exposure of corruption.
• Examination of the functioning of anti-corruption legislation and the development of legislation.
• Promotion of research related to corruption and its prevention.

With the drafting and publishing of this strategy, the commitment made at the IACC 2018 can be considered fulfilled.

Recommendations

• Ensure the authorities have adequate resources to take up new responsibilities and implement the actions effectively and within the set timeframe, as most of the 77 proposed actions rely on regular and sufficient funding from the respective authorities.
• Evaluate the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan in terms of outcomes and impacts on an action-by-action basis after a meaningful implementation period of no longer than three years. Carry out an initial assessment immediately after a particular action, such as anti-corruption training, takes place. Publish this evaluation on the government website both as an executive summary and in a more comprehensive format, including all details around the evaluation.
• Hold public consultations for each new policy measure proposed under the strategy, including independent civil society, academic and private-sector responses.
• Bring the Finnish experience of implementing this strategy, as well as the tools developed, into international collaboration, so other countries can learn from it and the Finnish government can learn from the experience of other countries.