Fighting corruption and promoting competition

The fight against unfair competition in public procurement in Sweden

Karin LunningDirector International Department

ICN Annual Conference, Sydney 28 April – 2 May 2015

The Swedish Competition Authority

»Safeguard and increase competition and supervise public procurement

»Responsible for providing advisory support for procurers.

Trends and perception of corruption» Traditionally low levels of perceived or

experienced corruption in Sweden

» Recent surveys somehow change the picture

In your country, do you think that the giving and taking of bribes, and the abuse of positions of power for personal gain, are

widespread among any of the following?”

» Special Eurobarometer 397 (2013)

Bid-rigging cartels and corruption

Illegal direct awards of contracts

» Involves an increased risk of bribery

» Detection methods also interesting for other government agencies; –articles in local media often trigger the initiation of an investigation

The SCA’s cooperation with the Swedish National Anti-Corruption Unit

» Exchange of information

» Mutual training

» Joint articles

» Detection methods

SCA report» Unfair competition can involve

several different types of infringements, such as bid-rigging, corruption and tax-evasion.

» Survey among procurement officials

» Results presented in a report

Results of the survey

» Nepotism and favoritism the largest problem

» Subcontractors

» Need for coordination of society’s anti-bribery efforts

» The importance of contract performance evaluation

» Need for increased knowledge of HOW to prevent and detect signs of corruption and bid-rigging in procurements

Conclusions and way forward

» The importance of preventive measures

» Not all types of corruption punishable under criminal law, but may be just as harmful for competition

» Training is never completed

» The importance of joining forces with other government agencies.

» International cooperation

» Ethical values