DR2028 analytical summary. This is a research brief prepared by the DR2028 movement on a real international convention. It is not an official publication.
Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions
Adopted by the OECD on November 21, 1997, signed December 17, 1997, and in force since February 15, 1999, this convention targets the supply side of corruption: bribes paid to foreign officials to win business.
What parties commit to
- Criminalize bribery of foreign public officials — including through intermediaries, and including attempt and conspiracy.
- Hold companies, not just individuals, liable for foreign bribery.
- Impose effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions on natural and legal persons.
- Establish jurisdiction over offenses committed abroad by nationals and companies.
- Make foreign bribery a predicate offense for money laundering.
- Bar economic or political considerations from influencing investigations and prosecutions.
- Set accounting and auditing standards that prohibit hiding bribes in the books.
- Provide mutual legal assistance and extradition.
Monitoring that bites
The OECD Working Group on Bribery runs a phased peer-review process (now in Phase 4): Phase 1 reviews the legislation, Phase 2 its application, Phase 3 enforcement effectiveness. Reports are public and adopted by consensus-minus-one — the country under review cannot block publication.
DR2028 relevance
The Dominican Republic's own anti-corruption architecture (Laws 448-06, 47-25, UNCAC implementation) covers domestic bribery; the OECD convention is the comparative proof that corporate liability, dissuasive sanctions, and unblockable peer review are the global norm. Our anti-corruption and procurement decrees import exactly these three mechanisms.