One Foot Forward: OECD’s Phase 4 of the Anti-Bribery Convention in 2015

Broadcast Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (ET)

Tax, Accounting and Finance (CPE), Recording

Overview:

Trust is one of the principal foundations of political systems and business. In recent years, trust in governments, public institutions, and large corporations has declined substantially in most countries. Citizens across the globe doubt and don't trust that governments and politicians are ethical and competent stewards of the public interest. Graft and corruption; legalized and illegal, are the principal reason for this decline of trust. There is an urgent need to address the growing distrust by ensuring the credibility of public decision-making bodies and strengthening the underlying institutional fabric responsible for government policy.

The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention requires the 41 parties to criminalize bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions. Enforcement of the Convention, which has been weak, undoubtedly is an issue that should be re-assessed in Phase 4. Only eight countries (United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, Austria, and Finland) enforce the OECD Convention.

Our panel of key thought leaders and practitioners, assembled by The Knowledge Group, will review the OECD's Phase 4 of the Anti-Bribery Convention and discuss how it relates to US activities and how it can be enforced.

Key topics include:

OECD’s Anti- Bribery Convention: An Overview
Key Features of OECD A-BC Phase 4
Best Practices for Adoption and Enforcement
Major Effects and Challenges of Anti-Corruption Convention
Potential Sanctions of Authorities Involved in Foreign Bribery Cases
Latest Legal Developments

Agenda:

SEGMENT 1:
Tony Hounshell, Senior Manager
Ernst & Young LLP

History of OECD Anti-bribery convention and Phases 1-3
Summary of Transparency International’s 2015 Progress Report (Assessing Enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combatting Foreign Bribery)
Summary of Phase 4 public consultation comments
What does it mean for the primarily US-based audience

SEGMENT 2:
Andrew B. Spalding, Assistant Professor of Law
University of Richmond School of Law

the purpose of Phase 4 review: detection, enforcement, and liability
national differences in agency structure, enforcement techniques, and theories of liability that impact levels of enforcement
some suggestions from the private sector consultations on how to overcome national differences in level of enforcement