@techreport{FazekasCingolaniToth, type = {Working Paper}, author = {Fazekas, Mihaly and Cingolani, Luciana and T{\´o}th, Bence}, title = {A Comprehensive Review of Objective Corruption Proxies in Public Procurement: Risky Actors, Transactions, and Vehicles of Rent Extraction}, series = {GTI-WP/2016:03, Budapest: Government Transparency Institute}, journal = {GTI-WP/2016:03, Budapest: Government Transparency Institute}, doi = {10.2139/ssrn.2891017}, pages = {40}, abstract = {This paper can provide a comprehensive review of quantitative corruption proxies, conceptualise how different indicators capture different aspects of corruption, and identify gaps in the measurement landscape. Institutionalised, well-established corruption in government contracting aims to bypass fair and open competition in order to allocate contracts to companies belonging to the corrupt group. This requires at least i) corrupt transactions allowing for rent generation, ii) particularistic relations underpinning collective action of corrupt groups; iii) organisations enabling rent allocation (public organisations); and iv) organisations extracting corrupt rents (private companies). These four requirements of corrupt contracting serve as a framework for the review. We find that there is a surprisingly wide array of indicators validated in particular contexts, leaving generalisability unclear. It is also suggested that the academic literature has largely been preoccupied with one or the other type of corruption proxies such as personal connections without recognising their complementarities. Given the clandestine and often complex character of corrupt deals, a comprehensive measurement approach is advocated where each indicator sheds light on different aspects of the same corrupt phenomena.}, language = {en} } @techreport{CingolaniFazekasMartinezBarrancoKukutschkaetal., type = {Working Paper}, author = {Cingolani, Luciana and Fazekas, Mih{\´a}ly and Martinez Barranco Kukutschka, Roberto and T{\´o}th, Bence}, title = {Towards a comprehensive mapping of information on public procurement tendering and its actors across Europe}, abstract = {This report presents the results of a comprehensive mapping exercise of the scope and quality of public procurement and linked information in 35 European jurisdictions: 28 European Union member states, 6 EU neighbouring countries and the European Commission. Part I analyses the public procurement information hosted in national platforms and made available online for the average user. This analysis enables the classification and comparison of countries along a series of dimensions, such as the amount of historical data on individual tenders, the scope of tender documentation publicly available, the fragmentation of procurement information sources, and the degree of machine-readability of tender announcements, among several others. Parts II and III of the report complement the information on procurement processes and outcomes with information on the two main actors involved in these processes: bidders and buyers. In this context, part II maps existing relevant data on private companies and part III follows with data on the governmental units acting as contracting authorities in each of our 35 jurisdiction. Discussing information linked to public procurement tendering data goes beyond the description of this deliverable in the Description of Work.}, language = {en} } @incollection{FazekasCingolaniToth, author = {Fazekas, Mih{\´a}ly and Cingolani, Luciana and T{\´o}th, Bence}, title = {Innovations in objectively measuring corruption in public procurement}, series = {Governance Indicators: Approaches, Progress, Promise}, booktitle = {Governance Indicators: Approaches, Progress, Promise}, editor = {Anheier, Helmut K. and Haber, Matthias and Kayser, Mark A.}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, address = {Oxford}, isbn = {9780198817062}, publisher = {Hertie School}, pages = {154 -- 185}, language = {en} } @article{MungiuPippidiToth, author = {Mungiu-Pippidi, Alina and Toth, Bence}, title = {Inside the Europeanization black box: the evolution of corruption risk in Albania's public procurement}, series = {Journal of Contemporary European Studies}, journal = {Journal of Contemporary European Studies}, doi = {10.1080/14782804.2022.2106955}, pages = {1 -- 17}, abstract = {The Western Balkans EU candidate countries face rule of law challenges far more serious than Hungary or Poland did at the time of their accessions in 2004. Despite extensive EU conditionality and support, with 16\% of EU pre-structural funds dedicated between 2014 and 2020 to rule of law projects, governance indicators show no substantial change. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) also found little impact in advancing the rule of law in the candidate countries in the Western Balkans. The European Commission, however, does report signs of progress. By drawing on public procurement data from the two sectors concentrating most public expenditure, namely health and construction, between the years 2017 and 2019, this paper solves the dilemma of how allegedly successful reforms can happen without much impact. By directly measuring government favouritism in procurement, before and after EU-driven reforms, the paper finds that evolution has so far been limited despite proving the effect of certain interventions. The paradox is explained by providing evidence of versatile behaviour by the main rent owners and the increasing discretionary power of Albania's governing party.}, language = {en} }