Spitaels was convicted for passive bribery by the Court of Cassation in 1998.

The Act makes the active or passive bribery of a member, officer or servant of a public body a criminal offence.

In recent years, efforts have been made by the international community to encourage countries to dissociate and incriminate as separate offences, active and passive bribery.

So we basically welcome the action plan - I do especially in my capacity as a judge in the criminal court - but most particularly the initiative to create throughout the Union a criminal code to combat active and passive bribery, even within private commercial activities.

Specific acts that States Parties must criminalize include active bribery (the offer or giving of an undue advantage) of a national, international or foreign public officials, passive bribery of a national public official and embezzlement of public funds.

States Parties are encouraged - but not required - to criminalize, inter alia, passive bribery of foreign and international public officials, trading in influence, abuse of function, illicit enrichment, private sector bribery and embezzlement, and the concealment of illicit assets.