In the OECD’s Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2026, which was launched on 24 March 2026 and which presents data on 37 OECD countries and 25 partner countries, Latvia and Lithuania ranked first and second respectively based on the highest average across all areas both in terms of the strength of regulations and their implementation in practice. The Baltic countries not only significantly outperform the OECD average, but also stand out for their strong performance in translating integrity regulations into practice, at a time when the “implementation gap” remains a key challenge for governments in 2026.
“It is truly inspiring that the consistent efforts of the Baltic countries in combatting corruption have been acknowledged at the global level. This OECD assessment shows that Lithuania is successfully strengthening its public integrity system through clear rules, consistent monitoring and institutional accountability. At the same time, it is a good reason to continue applying highest integrity standards as everyday norm across the public sector in all areas: the report clearly identifies the areas in which we still need to improve,” says Linas Pernavas, Director of the Special Investigation Service of Lithuania.
In this OECD review, Lithuania is assessed as one of the strongest-performing countries in the world in terms of the overall strength of its public integrity system. Lithuania’s average score for the strength of regulations is 86%, while its average score for implementation in practice is 76%.
Lithuania’s strategic framework and its implementation received a particularly favourable assessment: Lithuania fulfils 87% of criteria on the strength of its strategic framework and 83% of criteria on practice, compared to the OECD average of 38% and 32%, respectively. The report emphasises that Lithuania’s National Anti-Corruption Agenda for 2022–2033 includes outcome-level indicators for public integrity objectives, sets targets for each, includes an action plan, and provides a mechanism for monitoring implementation. The strategy was also based on an assessment of public integrity risks and a situation analysis.
Lithuania’s scores are above the OECD average in a number of other areas, including conflict of interest, lobbying, political finance, access to public information, judicial integrity and prosecutorial integrity.
The only weak area identified for Lithuania in this review is the disciplinary system for civil servants. While the score for regulations in this area stands at 67% and is broadly in line with the OECD average (66%), the score on practice is only 17%, compared to the OECD average of 22%. The report points to several reasons for this: training is not provided on how to conduct disciplinary investigations, there is no electronic case management system for disciplinary cases and proceedings, and no publicly available aggregated datasets exist on the number of disciplinary proceedings initiated, concluded, and appealed (by type of offence), or on the number and type of disciplinary sanctions imposed on civil servants.
The 2026 edition of the OECD Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook aims to help countries harness the integrity advantage. For the first time, the Outlook has a global coverage, presenting data on 37 OECD countries and 25 partner countries. Drawing on new data gathered through the OECD Public Integrity Indicators, it updates OECD analysis of countries’ anti-corruption and integrity strategies, and their systems for managing lobbying, conflicts of interest, political finance, and transparency of public information. It also presents new insights into integrity in countries’ justice and disciplinary systems.
