ACAMS Today Magazine (September-November 2017) Vol. 16 No. 4 | Page 88

KNOW YOUR CHAPTER Editorial credit: Tungtopgun/Shutterstock.com Sapin II— A first step toward a European law on corruption? I n December 2016, France adopted the Sapin II law. One might think of it as just another piece of law in the legislative jungle; however, it is not. Indeed, it is the first strong French anticorruption law and even though it might look, at first sight, as a pale copy of the U.S.’ Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), 1 the subject is worth a closer look. 1 May 23, 2017—Paris: France Chapter Conference on anti-corruption Foreign Corrupt Pratices Act, American anticorruption law. “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq. (FCPA), was enacted for the purpose of making it unlawful for certain classes of persons and entities to make payments to foreign government officials to assist in obtaining or retaining business,” retrieved on June 20th, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act. 88 ACAMS TODAY | SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER 2017 | ACAMS.ORG | ACAMSTODAY.ORG