This regional project aims at addressing common challenges in combating economic crime, while enhancing regional co-operation in fighting corruption, money-laundering, and terrorist financing in the Eastern Partnership region. International standards and good practices will be highlighted. A platform is provided through this project, to promote consistent, coherent, and effective application of standards developed at EU level and the good practices, guidelines and interpretative documents aiming to enable the effective application of specific measures (in the AML/CFT preventive area but also for targeted sanctions) by the authorities in the Eastern Partnership region and particularly in their interaction with the private sectors.

The primary focus of this initiative is to address gaps identified through the Council of Europe’s monitoring bodies, such as the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), as well as other international mechanisms.

The project is implemented within the third Phase of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance”. It builds on the results of the previous phases of the Partnership for Good Governance in the field of countering economic crime (Phase I 2015-2018 and Phase II 2019-2023).

The objectives of the project will focus to strengthen the capacities of relevant institutions in the Eastern Partnership region to effectively fight corruption, money laundering, and terrorist financing by applying international standards, building on regional best practices, and engaging project stakeholders and enhancing cooperation.

The project has the following specific objectives:

1. Strengthen institutional capacities to apply effective measures for the prevention and combating of corruption.
2. Reinforce institutional capacities to apply effective measures for the prevention and combating of money laundering and terrorist financing and application of targeted sanctions.

The project is expected to achieve the following results:

1. Develop a strategic approach in assessing and managing corruption risks.
2. Strengthen the capacity for effective application of anti-corruption preventive measures in partnership with the private sector and civil society organisations.
3. Amplify the response of the law enforcement and judiciary to corruption-related offences.
4. Enhance the understanding and management of sectoral money laundering and terrorism financing risks and proliferation financing.
5. Reinforce the legislative frameworks and cooperation in asset tracing and confiscation of proceeds of crime.