The Directive was adopted in April 2026 and entered into force on 31 May. Eurojust's publication serves as a concise reference guide, summarising the Directive's main provisions and highlighting key changes compared to the previous legal framework.

The document covers several key areas:

• Corruption offences: provides definitions of the offences covered by the Directive, with references to the relevant articles and explanations of their main features.
• Penalties for natural and legal persons: summarises the requirements for sanctions, including fines, terms of imprisonment and additional penalties or measures.
• Definition of public officials: examines the broader scope of persons covered by the Directive.
• Investigation of corruption offences: outlines new requirements concerning jurisdiction, limitation periods, investigative tools, the tracing, freezing and confiscation of assets, and the protection of whistleblowers.
• Prevention of corruption: summarises requirements concerning national anti-corruption strategies, corruption risk assessments, specialised bodies, training and the publication of statistical data.

Particular attention is given to international cooperation in the investigation of corruption offences. The document addresses issues such as determining the best-placed jurisdiction to conduct criminal proceedings, resolving conflicts of jurisdiction and coordinating investigations involving multiple Member States. It also explains Eurojust's role in providing technical and operational assistance to national authorities to facilitate the coordination of cross-border corruption investigations.

To facilitate a quick overview of the main developments, Eurojust has included a one-page infographic highlighting key changes, deadlines for transposing the Directive into national law and new requirements for cooperation between competent authorities.

The publication can serve as a reference resource for law enforcement and judicial authorities, as well as anti-corruption experts, when examining the new EU anti-corruption framework and preparing for its implementation in national legislation.