Published on 1 February 2026

Corruption

Switzerland plays an active role, both nationally and internationally, in the fight against corruption. To this end it has ratified various international agreements and established a broad-based interdepartmental working group. In addition, the Federal Council has adopted an anti-corruption strategy, which builds on certain aspects of existing instruments in this area.

The last 20 years have brought increased international awareness that corruption seriously damages governments, societies and economies and needs to be combated in a comprehensive manner. In recognition of this problem, three international conventions were concluded at the turn of the century and their implementation is monitored through country reviews. Moreover, one of the specific targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to ‘substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms’. The international community has thus provided an important impetus for the prevention and combating of corruption at national level. At the same time, Switzerland is bringing its practical experience into the further development of international standards.

International agreements

• United Nations Convention Against Corruption
  
  On 24 September 2009, Switzerland ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption. This is the most comprehensive instrument for combating corruption at international level, both geographically and in terms of content.
• OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions
  
  Switzerland was instrumental in drawing up the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. Switzerland ratified the convention on 31 May 2000, having previously amended the Swiss Criminal Code. Active bribery of foreign public officials by companies or private individuals is thus a punishable offence.
• Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and Additional Protocol
  
  Switzerland ratified the Council of Europe's Criminal Law Convention on Corruption and its additional protocol on 31 March 2006. Passive bribery of foreign public officials and private bribery were accordingly also declared punishable offences.

Country reviews in the fight against corruption

The states parties to the international anti-corruption conventions of the UN, the Council of Europe and the OECD mutually monitor implementation at national level. This puts political pressure on all states parties to comply equally with their obligations.

Like all other states parties, Switzerland participates in the review mechanisms. It undergoes regular country reviews and, co-reviews other states in parallel.

There are different rules for the different review mechanisms. What they have in common is that a report, which can also contain recommendations, is published at the end of each review. Switzerland's country reports are available on the websites of the international lead organisations:

• United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), UN
• Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), Council of Europe
• Switzerland and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, OECD

The following document provides an overview of the recommendations received by Switzerland under the three relevant multilateral anti-corruption review mechanisms. The status of implementation is updated regularly.

• Recommendations from multilateral country reviews in the area of anti-corruption for the attention of Switzerland

  Multilingual

  PDF140.34 kB3 December 2025

Combating corruption in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the implementation of international treaty obligations, the response to the recommendations, and the overall fight against corruption are cross-cutting tasks involving various federal offices and authorities at all levels. In order to supervise and coordinate this work, the Federal Council set up an Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption (IDWG on Combating Corruption) on 19 December 2008. The FDFA chairs and acts as the secretariat of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption.

On 28 January 2026 the Federal Council approved its anti-corruption strategy for the 2026–29 period. This strategy builds on the Federal Council's 2021–24 anti-corruption strategy, maintaining continuity with it. The existing operational objectives and measures were further elaborated in the new strategy, and new priorities were set. The Federal Council has attached particular importance to lowering the risk of corruption within particularly exposed areas of the Federal Administration and to making Switzerland's economy less vulnerable to corruption originating abroad. The strategy outlines measures directly intended for the Federal Administration, which is responsible for implementing them. The IDWG on Combating Corruption is responsible for monitoring and promotes implementation of the measures by organising exchanges of information on the progress made and encouraging interaction between the relevant federal offices.

• The Federal Council’s Anti-Corruption Strategy 2021–24

  PDF2.60 MB25 November 2020

Links

• Asset Recovery in cases of foreign politically exposed persons (PEPs)