---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 10503"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "10503"
heading: "Minimum standards for the elimination of corruption and assessment of efforts to combat corruption"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/10503"
units:
  - "Chapter 112 — Combating Global Corruption"
---

# §10503. Minimum standards for the elimination of corruption and assessment of efforts to combat corruption

- (a) **In general—** The government of a country is complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) if the government—
  - (1) has enacted and implemented laws and established government structures, policies, and practices that prohibit [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), including [significant corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=4);
  - (2) enforces the laws described in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) by punishing any person who is found, through a fair judicial process, to have violated such laws;
  - (3) prescribes punishment for [significant corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=4) that is commensurate with the punishment prescribed for serious crimes; and
  - (4) is making serious and sustained efforts to address [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), including through prevention.
- (b) **Factors for assessing government efforts to combat corruption—** In determining whether a government is making serious and sustained efforts to address [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), the Secretary of State shall consider, to the extent relevant or appropriate, factors such as—
  - (1) whether the government of the country has criminalized [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), investigates and prosecutes acts of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), and convicts and sentences persons responsible for such acts over which it has jurisdiction, including, as appropriate, incarcerating individuals convicted of such acts;
  - (2) whether the government of the country vigorously investigates, prosecutes, convicts, and sentences public officials who participate in or facilitate [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), including nationals of the country who are deployed in foreign military assignments, trade delegations abroad, or other similar missions, who engage in or facilitate [significant corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=4);
  - (3) whether the government of the country has adopted measures to prevent [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), such as measures to inform and educate the public, including potential victims, about the causes and consequences of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3);
  - (4) what steps the government of the country has taken to prohibit government officials from participating in, facilitating, or condoning [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), including the investigation, prosecution, and conviction of such officials;
  - (5) the extent to which the country provides access, or, as appropriate, makes adequate resources available, to civil society organizations and other institutions to combat [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), including reporting, investigating, and monitoring;
  - (6) whether an independent judiciary or judicial body in the country is responsible for, and effectively capable of, deciding [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) cases impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law, without any improper restrictions, influences, inducements, pressures, threats, or interferences (direct or indirect);
  - (7) whether the government of the country is assisting in international investigations of transnational [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) networks and in other cooperative efforts to combat [significant corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=4), including, as appropriate, cooperating with the governments of other countries to [extradite](/usc/22/7432.md?p=5) [corrupt actors](/usc/22/10501.md?p=2);
  - (8) whether the government of the country recognizes the rights of victims of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), ensures their access to justice, and takes steps to prevent victims from being further victimized or persecuted by [corrupt actors](/usc/22/10501.md?p=2), government officials, or others;
  - (9) whether the government of the country protects victims of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) or whistleblowers from reprisal due to such persons having assisted in exposing [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), and refrains from other discriminatory treatment of such persons;
  - (10) whether the government of the country is willing and able to recover and, as appropriate, return the proceeds of [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3);
  - (11) whether the government of the country is taking steps to implement financial transparency measures in line with the Financial Action Task Force recommendations, including due diligence and beneficial ownership transparency requirements;
  - (12) whether the government of the country is facilitating [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) in other countries in connection with state-directed investment, loans or grants for major infrastructure, or other initiatives; and
  - (13) such other information relating to [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
- (c) **Assessing government efforts to combat corruption in relation to relevant international commitments—** In determining whether a government is making serious and sustained efforts to address [corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), the Secretary of State shall consider the government of a country’s compliance with the following, as relevant:
  - (1) The Inter-American Convention against [Corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3) of the Organization of American States, done at Caracas March 29, 1996.
  - (2) The Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of the Organisation of[^1] Economic Co-operation and Development, done at Paris December 21,[^2] 1997 (commonly referred to as the “Anti-Bribery Convention”).
  - (3) The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, done at New York November 15, 2000.
  - (4) The United Nations Convention against [Corruption](/usc/22/10501.md?p=3), done at New York October 31, 2003.
  - (5) Such other treaties or conventions ratified by the United States as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “for”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “17,”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 118–31, div. E, title LIV, § 5404, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 945.)