The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) today voted to endorse the provisional agreement on the EU Anti-Corruption Directive, clearing a crucial hurdle ahead of an upcoming final vote in plenary.

The new law, for which MEP David Casa served as the EPP Group's lead negotiator on the file, is the most ambitious directive to harmonise criminal laws against corruption across the EU, an EPP statement said Tuesday.

It establishes common definitions for offences such as bribery, misappropriation, and abuse of functions, while setting binding standards for penalties and limitation periods. A prevention package obliges Member States to introduce complementary measures to prevent and address corruption and its risks.

Speaking after the vote, Casa said that "today is a victory in the fight against corruption, and a step closer towards a strong law that will bolster that fight across the European Union. This text was the outcome of months-long negotiations which saw Parliament reject prior deals for more ambitious standards against corruption. Today, we are a step closer to delivering them."