Transparency International releases the corruption perceptions index 2018

Transparency International, an independent organization present in over 100 countries, released this week its Corruption Perceptions Index of 2018 (IPC 2018). The IPC measures the perception levels of corruption in the public sector and ranks 180 countries and territories by giving each a score from 0 to 100, in which 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean.

The results of IPC 2018 indicate that most of the countries evaluated had little or no progress in the fight against corruption. Since 2012, only 20 countries made a significant progress, more than two thirds of the countries scored below 50, with and average score of only 43. No country has achieved the maximum score (100 points) and the ranking leader is Denmark (88 points), followed by New Zealand (87 points) and Finland (85 points). Somalia achieved the lowest score (10 points), followed by Syria (13 points), South Sudan (13 points) and Yemen (14 points).

Brazil dropped 9 positions compared to 2017 and it is now ranked in the 105th position out of 180 countries. Brazil’s score downgraded from 37 to 35 points, falling behind from other South American countries such as Uruguay (70 points), Chile (67 points) and Argentina (40 points). The results of IPC ranking represent Brazil’s 3rd consecutive decline and its worst score since 2012.

According to Transparency International, ” legal and institutional reforms are necessary to truly change the conditions that perpetuate the systemic corruption in Brazil.”
In other words, it is not enough for the country to have strong and committed law enforcement agencies.  Only deep and structural reforms, focusing on the causes that give raise to acts of corruption, are capable of improving Brazilian public institutions and, consequently, the country’s position in the ranking.

As a global and coordinated strategy to strengthen democracy around the world and enable real progress against corruption, Transparency International calls on all governments to: “strengthen the institutions responsible for maintaining checks and balances over political power, and ensure their ability to operate without intimidation; close the implementation gap between anti-corruption legislation, practice and enforcement; support civil society organizations which enhance political engagement and public oversight over government spending, particularly at the local level; and support a free and independent media, and ensure the safety of journalists and their ability to work without intimidation or harassment”.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Juliana Sá de Miranda
Partner
T: +55 11 3077 3534
E: juliana.miranda@cmalaw.com

Ricardo Caiado
Lawyer
E: ricardo.caiado@cmalaw.com
T:+55 11 3077 3591

Ana Julia Andrade
Lawyer
E: ana.lima@cmalaw.com
T: +55 11 3077 3508