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Recent developments in the EU’s anti-corruption strategy have brought the EU closer to meeting the UNCAC’s objectives, i.e. the Proposal for a Directive on combating corruption (2023) and the Proposal for a Directive on Asset Recovery and Confiscation (2022). This paper aims to discuss these developments from the perspective of the UNCAC, to identify missing elements in the EU’s asset recovery mechanisms.

Critical approach towards EU anti-corruption policy (discussing the problems and solutions). Review of EU developments in asset recovery law.

There is a political will on the part of the EU to fight corruption through the rules enshrined in the UNCAC. However, improving EU law by introducing a new type of confiscation of unexplained wealth and criminalising illicit enrichment, without establishing convergent rules for the return of corrupt assets from EU territory to the countries of origin, cannot be seen as sufficient action to achieve the UNCAC’s objectives. In modelling mechanisms of the return of assets, the EU should search for solutions to overcome the difficulties resulting from the ordre public clause remaining a significant factor conditioning mutual legal assistance.

This paper discusses the possible input of the EU, as a non-State Party to the UNCAC, to advance implementing the UNCAC solutions on asset recovery by establishing convergent rules for the return of corrupt assets from EU territory to countries of origin.

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively analyse and compare equity crowdfunding (ECF) regulations across 26 countries, shedding light on the diverse regulatory frameworks, investor and issuer limits and the evolution of ECF globally. By addressing this research gap and providing consolidated insights, the study aims to inform policymakers, researchers and entrepreneurs about the regulatory landscape of ECF, fostering a deeper understanding of its potential and challenges in various economies. Ultimately, the study contributes to the advancement of ECF as an alternative financing method for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups, empowering them to access much-needed capital for growth.

The study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model for a systematic literature review on global ECF regulations. Starting with 74 initial articles from Web of Sciences and Scopus databases, duplicates were removed and language criteria applied, leaving 42 articles. After a thorough full-text screening, 20 articles were excluded, resulting in the review of 22 papers from 2016 to 2022. PRISMA’s structured framework enhances the quality of systematic reviews, ensuring transparency and accessibility of findings for various stakeholders, including researchers, practitioners and policymakers, in the field of ECF regulations.

This study examines ECF regulations across various countries. Notably, the UK has advanced regulations, while the USA adopted them later through the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act. Canada regulates at the provincial level. Malaysia and China were early adopters in Asia, but Hong Kong, Japan, Israel and India have bans. Turkey introduced regulations in 2019. New Zealand and Australia enacted laws, with Australia referring to it as “crowd-sourced equity funding”. Italy, Austria, France, Germany and Belgium have established regulations in Europe. These regulations vary in investor and issuer limits, disclosure requirements and anti-corruption measures, impacting the growth of ECF markets.

This study’s findings underscore the diverse regulatory landscape governing ECF worldwide. It reveals that regulatory approaches vary from liberal to protectionist, reflecting each country’s unique economic and political context. The implications of this research highlight the need for cross-country analysis to inform practical implementation and the effectiveness of emerging ECF ecosystems. This knowledge can inspire regulatory adjustments, support startups and foster entrepreneurial growth in emerging economies, ultimately reshaping early-stage funding for new-age startups and SMEs on a global scale.

This study’s originality lies in its comprehensive analysis of ECF regulations across 26 diverse countries, shedding light on the intricate interplay between regulatory frameworks and a nation’s political-economic landscape. By delving into the nuanced variations in investor limits, investment types and regulatory strategies, it unveils the multifaceted nature of ECF regulation globally. Furthermore, this research adds value by comparing divergent perspectives on investment constraints and offering an understanding of their impact on ECF efficacy. Ultimately, the study’s unique contribution lies in its potential to inform practical implementation, shape legislative frameworks and catalyse entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging economies, propelling the evolution of early-stage funding practices.

The purpose of the present study is to test the effect of financial development and environmental degradation on the control of corruption.

This study used a dynamic approach known as system GMM to analyze annual data from 90 developed and developing countries over 24 years, from 1996 to 2020.

The present study shows a significantly negative relationship between financial development and control of corruption and a significantly positive relationship between environmental degradation and control of corruption. The result suggests that improvement in financial development may reduce control of corruption; however, reduction in environmental degradation may reduce control of corruption. The results are consistent across both developed and developing countries.

The study’s findings have significant implications for financial institutions, governmental policy departments and environmental regulatory agencies. The policy outcomes are closely linked to the economic prosperity of countries. In general, developing countries can implement strategies to promote financial development and environmental regulations, even though they may temporarily tolerate corrupt activities. Conversely, developed nations may have differing implications from developing countries.

This study is different from the past literature as none of the studies have been conducted previously focusing on developed and developing countries’ financial development, environmental degradation and control of corruption.

Corruption is one of the main facilitators of increased wildlife crime in South Africa. It is important to look at the current legislative framework to determine how wildlife crime can be combated effectively. This paper aims to provide an analysis of the process of wildlife crime, focusing on wildlife poaching and trafficking role players and critically analyses the legislation in place to combat the phenomenon.

A critical analysis of existing literature such as case law, legislation, peer-reviewed publications and electronic articles was used to identify the legislation and processes for the prevention of wildlife crime in South Africa. Common denominators were identified in these sources to provide a baseline for examining wildlife crime.

Wildlife criminals rely extensively on corruption during all facets of their trafficking schemes. The use of traditional environmental laws is not effective in dismantling wildlife trafficking networks, as prosecuting those in the upper echelons is often challenging. The extensive reliance on corruption during all facets of wildlife trafficking provides an opportunity for law enforcement to use such corruption crimes as predicate offences in racketeering prosecutions, thus ensuring kingpins find it more difficult to escape prosecution, owing to their involvement in criminal enterprises that sustain themselves through patterns of racketeering.

This paper contributes knowledge to narrow the research gap with regard to wildlife criminals and how they function. It also addresses possibilities to improve prosecution and disrupt wildlife trafficking networks.

This paper aims to unravel the impact of post-pandemic COVID-19 on foreign direct investment (FDI) and its determinants in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Countries.

The study utilized four macroeconomic variables includes growth domestic product growth rate (GDPG), inflation rate (IR), exchange rate (ER), and unemployment rate (UR) to assess their impact on post-pandemic FDI, along with two variables control of corruption (CC) and political stability (PS) to measure the influence of good governance. Random effects, fixed effects, cluster random effects, cluster fixed effects and generalized method of moments (GMM) models were applied to a balanced panel dataset comprising eight SAARC countries over the period 2010–2021. To identify the random trend component in each variable, three renowned unit root tests (Levin, Lin and Chu LLC, Im-Pesaran-Shin IPS and Augmented Dickey-Fuller ADF) were used, and co-integration associations between variables were verified through the Pedroni and Kao approaches. Data analysis was performed using STATA 17 software.

The major findings revealed that the variables have an order of integration at the first difference I (1). Nonetheless, this situation suggests the possibility of a long-term link between the series. And the main results of the findings show that the coefficients of GDPG, CC and PS are positive and significant in the long run, showing that these variables boosted FDI inflows in the SAARC region as they are significantly positively linked to FDI inflows. Similarly, the coefficients of UR, IR, ER and COVID-19 are negative and significant.

By identifying the specific impacts of the post-pandemic FDI and its determinants, governments and policymakers can formulate targeted policies and measures to mitigate the adverse effects and enhance investment attractiveness. Additionally, investors can gain a deeper understanding of the risk factors and adapt their strategies accordingly, ensuring resilience and sustainable growth. Finally, this paper adds value to the literature on the post-pandemic impact on FDI inflows in the SAARC region.

This paper is the first attempt to trace the impact of COVID-19 on Foreign Direct Investment and its determinants in the SAARC Countries. Most of the previous studies were analytical in nature and, if empirical, excluded some countries due to the unviability of the data set. This study includes all the SAARC member countries, and all variables' data are completely available. There is still a lack of empirical studies related to the SAARC region; this study attempts to fill the gap.

This study aims to investigate the determinants of anti-corruption disclosures by construction firms in Asia-Pacific countries.

The sample comprises construction companies from seven Asia-Pacific countries from 2015 to 2019. The authors hand-collected data on anti-corruption disclosures by using content analysis.

This study provides empirical evidence that government ownership, country-level accounting competence and high-quality auditors increase companies’ anti-corruption disclosures. Meanwhile, this study finds that uncertainty avoidance does not affect companies’ anti-corruption disclosures.

This study has a number of implications. First, government and professional accountant organizations need to improve accountants’ knowledge and competence through education, training and continuous professional development. Second, public accounting firms need to ensure the quality of their auditors, particularly in the technical competence in financial and nonfinancial reporting. Finally, universities must improve and update their curriculum regarding nonfinancial reporting issues.

This study is among the first to examine anti-corruption disclosure practices in the most corrupted settings, i.e. the construction industry in Asia-Pacific countries. It uses the isomorphism perspective to explain the influence of government ownership, country-level accounting competence and high-quality auditors on anti-corruption disclosure transparency. The number of prior studies investigating this association is very limited. Moreover, disclosures of anti-corruption information are complex and sensitive; thus, coercive, normative and mimetic pressures are required to achieve higher transparency and sustainability.

The inadequate enforcement of anti-corruption policies in the private sector in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries is the motivation for this study to investigate how a company’s anti-corruption disclosure (ACD) affects earnings management. Moreover, the underrepresentation of women in supervisory roles makes this aspect of particular interest. Hence, this study highlights the question of whether their participation in audit committees can impact the organization's policies.

This research employs archival methods to examine 30 of the largest non-financial companies from each of the ASEAN-5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines) from 2016 to 2018. Lastly, the authors also utilize a robustness test.

As expected, the results indicate that the low willingness to disclose anti-corruption activities encourages earnings management practices. This relationship is significantly more potent in firms with fewer women on their audit committees. The findings remain robust after assessing alternative measurements.

The findings of this study imply that a company’s anti-corruption policies and the role of women in supervisory activity influence rent-seeking behavior. Thus, investors should consider elements that promote transparency in companies. Additionally, regulators must evaluate regulations to promote gender diversity and eradicate corruption by establishing exact policies, providing whistleblowing protection and simplifying indicators for effective disclosure.

The consequences of the anti-corruption policy in the ASEAN-5 countries are relatively under-researched and still focus on a single country. Furthermore, while examining the connection between ACD and earnings management, this study also considered how addressing the supervisory factor is urgent in terms of corporate transparency.

The paper examines the recent trends in information technology for combating corruption and its impact on the Indian economy. It further explores how technology is being used to tackle corruption in India and the resulting economic benefits.

The methodology encompasses qualitative analysis to investigate corruption comprehensively. It involves content analysis of corruption-related documents, case studies, and expert interviews. Recent information technological advancements are explored, including blockchain and AI, for their anti-corruption potential.

This study reveals that the negative impacts of corruption on society include reduced economic growth, weakened institutions, and decreased public trust in government. Various technological advancements such as e-governance, blockchain, AI, and big data analytics have been implemented to enhance transparency and accountability in government processes. Special cases and examples of application of such technology tools and techniques adopted by the organizations to control corruption are discussed.

This paper highlights the need for legal reforms, institutional strengthening, and awareness-raising campaigns to complement technological advancements in the fight against corruption.

Corruption and earnings management remain a serious concern across the globe. In addition, corporate disclosure of anti-corruption practices is still in its infancy in developing and emerging countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of anti-corruption disclosure (ACD) on earnings management (EM) among listed firms in the East Africa Community (EAC) partners states.

The study used an ACD check list developed from recent studies and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI-205) standard on anticorruption reporting. The sample comprised 58 firms listed across EAC partner states stock/securities exchanges over the period between 2013 and 2022. The hypothesis was tested using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method.

This study found low level of ACD among the selected firms. The regression results revealed a negative relationship between ACD and EM. The results are robust to alternative panel data estimation methods and a proxy measure of EM.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first paper that empirically examines the effect of ACD on EM in the EAC, thus making a contribution to the existing literature.

This paper aims to test the effectiveness of the Haryono Umar (HU)-model used in corruption prevention strategies through corruption detection as a tool for detecting corruption because the mode of corruption is increasingly dynamic and complex by focusing on the causes of corruption: pressure, opportunity, rationalization, capability and lack of integrity.

The research uses multiple regression methods, classification and regression trees and the HU-model application system developed by researchers. The research sample uses secondary data from financial reports on the Indonesia stock exchange according to organizational clustering (such as red, grey and green areas).

The research result showed that of the 470 sample companies, there were 445 companies, or 98.9%, in the red cluster (indicated corruption), 19 companies, or 4.04, in the green clusters or not indicated corruption and six companies, or 1.28%, were included in the grey cluster or potential corruption. By knowing the cluster of an organization, efforts to prevent corruption can be made effective and efficient. Implementing the HU-model proves that the amount of pressure, the abundance of opportunities, the ease of rationalization and the high level of position and authority strengthen the drive for corruption if there is a lack of integrity.

Each internal organization can use this model independently and find conditions related to corruption so that they can immediately take action to prevent it.

The application of the HU-model is a discovery in preventing corruption by focusing on the possibility of corruption occurring in each organization through organizational clustering.