The fight against international corruption has taken a significant step forward with the formation of a new alliance between key European law enforcement agencies. The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), France’s Parquet National Financier (PNF) and Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) have established a new international anti-corruption prosecutorial taskforce.  

The agreement, published on March 20, 2025, includes the launch of a new taskforce aimed at strengthening the collaboration between the three countries. All have wide-reaching anti-bribery legislation with jurisdiction to prosecute criminal conduct that occurs overseas, if there is a link to the prosecuting country.

The primary objective of the taskforce is to enhance cooperation among the three nations in combatting international bribery and corruption. This will involve facilitating the joint handling of complex cases, sharing crucial intelligence, and exchanging expertise. The alliance acknowledged the “significant threat of bribery and corruption” and emphasized that effective countermeasures require close and efficient international collaboration. This cooperation builds upon previous successful joint investigations between these agencies, demonstrating the effectiveness of working together.

National borders

The trilateral effort is particularly relevant in an era where financial crimes increasingly transcend national borders. By pooling their resources and expertise, the SFO, PNF and OAG are aiming to strengthen their ability to investigate and prosecute highly complex corruption cases.

In a statement, officials from the UK, France and Switzerland emphasized the importance of international partnerships in tackling economic crime and prosperity. Nick Ephgrave, director of the SFO, said: “The commitment we have made today reaffirms our individual and collective commitment to tackling the pernicious threat of international bribery and corruption, wherever it occurs.”

Stefan Blättler, Attorney General of the Swiss Confederation, added: “Within the framework of this cooperation, we will be able to help ensure that fraud and crime can be better combated in the future.”

Jean-François Bohnert, head of the PNF, expressed his delight, “that 10 years of operational cooperation between the PNF, SFO and OAG are developing today into the setting up of a prosecutorial taskforce.”

The heads of these agencies also committed to using all available powers and partnerships to confront criminality. “This taskforce will definitely strengthen our current cooperation in order to fight more efficiently against bribery and corruption in individual cases,” said Bohnert.

The founding statement also said the alliance would invite other “like-minded agencies involved in tackling international bribery and corruption” to join the Taskforce.

Global reach

For many, this alliance signals a strengthened commitment to holding individuals and organizations accountable for corrupt practices and is expected to enhance the effectiveness of cross-border investigations and prosecutions.

Thomas Cattee, partner at Gherson Solicitors and ex-SFO prosecutor is a proponent of the alliance and said: “Having had personal experience, whilst as a SFO lawyer assisting negotiate the Airbus global settlement, in how incredibly well the SFO is able to work alongside the PNF (and other overseas agencies) to tackle international bribery and corruption, I’m confident that the new UK, France and Switzerland alliance will certainly form strong foundations for increased efforts to tackle international bribery and corruption at a global level.

“This is especially pertinent in the aftermath of the US President’s recent pause of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement.”  

However, there have been questions raised over the effectiveness of the new anti-corruption alliance. In particular, the lack of operational detail and how far is the global reach. Trevor Francis, managing partner at law firm Blackfords LLP, shared his reservations with GRIP: “This sort of announcement makes a good soundbite, particularly for the UK’s beleaguered SFO. Whilst the alliance emphasises enhanced cooperation, it is completely silent on any specific detail regarding operational mechanisms, resource allocation and attainable objectives.

“Without clear frameworks, the initiative risks being symbolic rather than substantive. Moreover, the alliance comprises only three countries, potentially limiting its global impact. Corruption is a transnational issue and excluding other major economies and emerging markets may result in fragmented efforts and loopholes that corrupt entities can exploit.

“Is it a coincidence that the announcement of the formation of this alliance comes at a time when there is the perception that President Trump is to pull back on the US enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?

“Without clear frameworks, the initiative risks being symbolic rather than substantive.”

Trevor Francis, managing partner, Blackfords LLP

“Whilst the establishment of the UK-France-Switzerland anti-corruption alliance signals a commitment to addressing international bribery and corruption, several critical issues need to be addressed to ensure its effectiveness. Expanding membership to include a broader range of countries, detailing operational strategies, aligning domestic policies with international commitments, ensuring adequate resource allocation, and enhancing transparency are essential steps. Without these, the alliance risks being a symbolic gesture rather than a transformative force in the global fight against corruption.”

Offering a US perspective, GRIP’s US content manager Julie DiMauro said that she appreciated “Francis’s reservations about the new anti-corruption alliance’s effectiveness, given the scarcity of details we have so far on its operational aspects, resource allocation and enforcement strategy.

“But there is some significance in its symbolism and timing that might actually offer some practical effect.

“If this taskforce follows efforts in recent years by European agencies to develop tools such as deferred prosecution agreements, long available in the United States and the UK, and more recently introduced in France, that would be a positive development.”

On future international cooperation, she said: “It should compel even more collaboration in multi-jurisdictional bribery cases involving those countries, potentially leading to other countries joining the group, if those operational, enforcement and resource details are spelled out. And that’s what would put more pressure on the US to not abandon its foreign bribery enforcement regime.

“More crucially, the announcement is a reminder to US companies who conduct business in Europe that global bribery remains an investigative and  enforcement priority that merit policies, procedures and internal controls, as ever.”