Research note: From regulation to reputation: the EU's anticorruption directive as public diplomacy

This research note examines the European Union's 2026 Anticorruption Directive - Directive (EU) 2026/1021 - as both a regulatory instrument and an expression of anticorruption public diplomacy. It argues that the directive's significance extends beyond internal legal harmonisation to the external projection of normative standards and integrity governance models. Beyond introducing definitions of corruption offences, preventive obligations, compliance, and accountability frameworks, the directive can be interpreted as reflecting a broader shift from punitive anticorruption approaches towards systemic integrity governance. Through the lens of anticorruption public diplomacy, legal instruments operate not only as regulatory frameworks but also as vehicles of normative projection, identity construction, and reputational positioning. In this perspective, the directive contributes to shaping the European Union's external identity as a promoter of transparency, accountability, rule of law, and institutional integrity within the global anticorruption regime. The note advances three main arguments. First, the directive functions as a mechanism of normative socialisation by institutionalising shared expectations of conduct and aligning Member States with broader international anticorruption standards. Second, it contributes to the consolidation of a European anticorruption identity through the projection of common governance and integrity principles. Third, it strengthens the Union's reputational security by signalling institutional commitment to integrity and reinforcing international trust in the EU as a normative actor. By framing European anticorruption law as a form of public diplomacy, this research note seeks to bridge legal scholarship and international relations, offering a conceptual framework through which regulatory developments may be understood as constitutive elements of contemporary international order.