Finland ranks consistently among the least corrupt nations in international corruption comparisons. According to the FCCA, international examples nevertheless show that cartels and public procurements provide a fertile breeding ground for corruption.
According to the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, Finland´s public sector in 2015 was the world´s second least corrupt. However, the message of the International Anti-Corruption Day seminar organised in Helsinki on 9 December 2016 was that corruption frequently remains hidden: it may not necessarily be identified or suspected.
At the event, Antti Norkela, Head of Research at the FCCA, described the links corruption has to cartels. According to international studies and experiences, bribery is also repeatedly found in the background of cartels. Public procurements are also attractive targets for corruption. The perpetrators endeavour to manipulate acquisitions and decisions secretly, in which case it is difficult for the authorities to investigate and reveal the activities.
From the perspective of preventing corruption, it is important that the perpetrator is genuinely at risk of being caught. Legislation must be up to date and adequate resources must be allocated for monitoring. The FCCA has its own group, which focuses solely on cartel investigations, and this has clearly increased the efficiency of operations and improved investigation. Potential links between corruption and cartels also require closer cooperation between relevant authorities.