Implementation Effectiveness of EU Anti-Corruption Directives: A Comparative Case Study of Germany, France and Italy

Abstract

This paper uses institutional adaptation theory to assess the implementation of EU law in member states. It focuses on Germany, France and Italy, examining their adherence to the EU Anti-Corruption Directive. The analysis uses three approaches. Germany combines a strong legal culture with robust administrative practices, resulting in a robust but unwieldy approach. France, a centralised state, follows an efficient but hard-to-monitor approach. Italy, however, has devised a different approach, using digital technology to overcome its own problems. The study's findings reveal that policy success hinges on striking a balance between policy goals and governance structures, rather than simply adhering to similar rules. The most important concept is policy transfer by ongoing talks between different institutions where external policies interact with domestic ideas and rules. This is to say that the EU's governance will continue to evolve. For the future, the EU policy should be aimed at adaptability in the light of general principles and cognisant of the varying nature of governance by its member states. The paper also concludes that further research should be done to examine how institutions and people interact in this digital age, and ways must be found to ensure the adherence to rules is achieved without hindering various types of individuals that these meetings may prove to be very vital in solving the increasingly complex problems of modern times.