Corrupt activities cost EU states €120bn

BRIBERY and corruption are costing taxpayers €120 billion a year and pushing up the price of public works by as much as 25%, according to the European Commission.

They announced an EU-wide drive against such crime and plan to put in place a Criminal Assets Bureau, similar to Ireland’s very successful model.

The commission will begin by drawing up an anti- corruption report detailing problems in each of the EU’s 27-member states.