Corruption costs the European Union between €200 billion and €1 trillion per year, according to estimates.

Omissions

• The underlying estimate dates from 2016 (RAND Europe study commissioned by the European Parliament) and has not been substantially revised with more recent data; no newer official figure was found for 2024-2026.
• The exact figures are €179 billion (lower bound) to €990 billion (upper bound) per year; the claim rounds these to €200 billion and €1 trillion.
• The upper bound (up to €990 billion) includes indirect costs and is described as a loss of roughly 6% of EU GDP; the lower bound of €179 billion excludes some indirect effects. The earlier European Commission (2014) estimate was only €120 billion, so the range depends heavily on methodology.

Sources

• PrimaryRAND Europe — 'The Cost of Corruption in Europe — Up to €990 Billion Lost Annually'RAND Europe's study shows the true extent of the cost of corruption in the EU, with new figures far higher than the previous estimate of €120 billion... The new figures from the study are far higher than the initial estimate provided by the European Commission of €120 billion... This takes into account the indirect effects of corruption, such as disincentives of companies to invest, and direct effects, such as money lost on tax revenues and public procurement.
• SecondaryEuropean Parliament study — 'High-risk areas of corruption in the EU: A mapping and in-depth analysis'costs of corruption have been estimated at EUR179 billion to EUR990 billion per year, including indirect costs. This reduces the EU's GDP by about 6% annually – an estimated EUR990 billion – including indirect damage such as lost tax revenues and decreased foreign investment.
• SecondaryGreens/EFA — 'The costs of corruption across the European Union'The latest estimates regarding the cost of corruption across the EU put the loss to GDP as a result somewhere between €179 billion and €950 billion each year.
• Secondaryeucrim — 'High-Risk Areas of Corruption in the EU: In-Depth Report Highlights Six Vulnerable Sectors'The EU reportedly loses up to €1 trillion annually to tax-related crimes.