On 4 May 2023, the Council adopted conclusions on corruption as an obstacle to development. The conclusions emphasise the increased urgency of adopting a whole-of-government approach to combatting corruption in context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the illegal war of Russia against Ukraine. In particular, the Council highlights the importance of the following points:

The Commission and the EEAS are invited to provide regular updates on the progress made in reducing corruption across the EU. This should involve ensuring that the existing reporting mechanisms accurately capture all EU measures aimed at combating corruption in a comprehensive manner.