Description of the event:

On March 26-27, RESPOND will take part in a panel discussion at the 2025 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum in Paris. This prestigious event, held as part of OECD Integrity Week, will bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to explore innovative approaches to strengthening integrity and combating corruption.

The theme of this year’s Forum, Harnessing Innovation to Break New Ground, will highlight the transformative potential of digital technologies in anti-corruption efforts. Discussions will focus on how artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital forensics can disrupt corrupt practices, enhance transparency, and reinforce enforcement mechanisms. The Forum will also emphasize the crucial role of the private sector as a key partner in advancing integrity initiatives.

RESPOND will take part in the Knowledge Partner Session – Cutting-edge research programmes on tackling corruption today, taking place on March 27th, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

For online registration click here

The panel will explore the cutting-edge landscape of pro-integrity research, highlighting how digital technologies – both established and emerging – can be used in innovative ways to address corruption. Speakers will present initial findings from RESPOND, a Horizon Europe project investigating political corruption and trust in democracy in increasingly digitalised societies. The discussion will also draw on lessons from the recently completed Horizon 2020 BIT-ACT project, which explored grassroots, citizen-led efforts to tackle corruption using digital technologies. Drawing on empirical research from several countries around the world, the panel will focus on how digital technologies are enabling citizens, practitioners and activists to challenge political corruption and promote democratic accountability.

The projects:

• BridgeGap: The last decade has witnessed unprecedented investment in anticorruption measures across the EU and its neighbourhood. Has corruption decreased due to these measures, increased due to crises like the 2008 financial crash and the COVID-19 pandemic, or remained stagnant? Understanding the drivers behind these trends and identifying actionable solutions is even more challenging. Does EU regulation effectively control corruption, and where are the gaps in implementation?
• GI ACE: Illicit Financial Flows are recognized for their destabilizing impact on economies. How do state capture and corrupt practices in governments and institutions contribute to the proliferation of illicit trade networks? Can corruption and related illicit trade be considered primary tools for circumventing sanctions and undermining multilateral efforts for peace and security? What could the donor community do to address these issues in the current geopolitical context?
• RESPOND: How are digital technologies used to address corruption? Discuss findings from (1) RESPOND, investigating corruption and trust in democracy in increasingly digitalised societies and (2) Horizon 2020 BIT-ACT project, exploring grassroots, citizen-led efforts to tackle corruption using digital technologies. How are digital technologies are enabling citizens to challenge corruption and promote democratic accountability?

RESPOND speakers:

• Alice Mattoni, RESPOND Scientific Coordinator and BIT-ACT Principal Investigator, University of Bologna
• Sofia Wickberg, RESPOND WP Leader, University of Amsterdam
• Nils Kobis, RESPOND WP Leader, University of Duisburg-Essen