Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf moderates a webinar this Wednesday, January 14, 3:30 pm CET, 9:30 EST, with three former Chairs of the OECD Working Group on Bribery.

Parties to the Convention commit to criminalize the bribery of foreign officials and to prosecute those subject to their law regardless of “national economic interest … or the identity of the natural or legal persons involved.” What makes the Convention so critical in the fight against global corruption is their global economic clout. Between them they account for 80% -90% of international trade and investment.  

As with any international agreement, enforcement depends on peer pressure. With the Convention that falls to its Working Group, made up of representatives from its 46 parties with an expert on international antibribery law chairing (here).

The U.S. retreat from enforcement of the FCPA (here) and the Italian judiciary’s dismissal of cases against Italian companies (here) now present the Working Group with its greatest challenge since the Convention came into force. 

What can the Group do to bring the U.S. and Italy into line?  What happens if the U.S. and Italy get away with ignoring their Convention obligations? Will other countries continue to pursue foreign bribery cases? Especially cases that might disadvantage their nationals?

Former Working Group chairs Mark Pieth, Drago Koss, and Danielle Goudriaan will offer their views on the Convention’s future and take questions from participants. Click here to register.