Transparency International today launched the 2011 Bribe Payers Index. The index ranks 28 leading international and regional exporting countries by the likelihood of their firms to bribe abroad. It is based on the views of business executives as captured by Transparency International’s Bribe Payers Survey. China and Russia, who invested US $120 billion overseas in 2010, are seen as most likely to pay bribes abroad. Companies from the Netherlands and Switzerland are seen as least likely to bribe.
The 28 countries and territories ranked in the index are: Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States. The countries include the largest economies in terms of outward trade and investment and together represent 78 per cent of global foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows and exports. They cover all countries ranked in the 2008 Bribe Payers Index, all G20 countries and other key regional economic trading powers. Ireland was not included in this survey.