Low fines and inconsistent laws mean that many companies are prepared to risk becoming involved in bribery , according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) . Penalties for bribery differ significantly across the 28 countries committed to the OECD ’s anti - bribery convention . Maximum fines range from $ 580k to $ 10 m with eight countries setting no upper limit . The report ’s findings suggest that maximum fines in 23 countries are insufficiently high to offset the financial benefits of investments connected to bribery . The report calls for tougher imposition of financial sanctions . OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria speaks during a panel discussion during the Anti-Corruption Summit London 2016, at Lancaster House in central London on May 12, 2016. Of the signatories to the convention , 24 have not taken action against a single company or individual since the agreement was signed in 1999 . Germany and the US were identified as the countries most likely to enforce sanctions .
Low fines and inconsistent laws mean that many companies are prepared to risk becoming involved in bribery , according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) . Penalties for bribery differ significantly across the 28 countries committed to the OECD ’s anti - bribery convention . Maximum fines range from $ 580k to $ 10 m with eight countries setting no upper limit . The report ’s findings suggest that maximum fines in 23 countries are insufficiently high to offset the financial benefits of investments connected to bribery . The report calls for tougher imposition of financial sanctions . Of the signatories to the convention , 24 have not taken action against a single company or individual since the agreement was signed in 1999 . Germany and the US were identified as the countries most likely to enforce sanctions .