Action against Corruption and Economic Crime

ECCD Newsletter16th Edition| December 2025


Welcome to the sixteenth edition of the ECCD Newsletter!

The Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (ECCD) is responsible for the Council of Europe's cooperation and technical assistance activities concerning the implementation of international standards against corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing. In the December 2025 Edition of the ECCD Newsletter you will find interesting updates on our recent activities and useful publications, as well as key developments from the Council of Europe monitoring bodies GRECO and MONEYVAL.

New co-operation initiative launched to reinforce resilience against financial crime in Europe

25-26 November 2025

A new mission-driven initiative — Action against Corruption and Money Laundering in Europe — has been launched to bolster European countries' capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to corruption and financial crime. Funded by the European Economic Area and Norway Grants, and implemented by the Council of Europe, this initiative seeks to promote clearer regulations, enhance institutional effectiveness, and foster stronger cross-border cooperation. These efforts are aligned with international standards and best practices, aiming to safeguard the integrity and stability of Europe’s financial systems.

Strengthening FIUs' strategic analysis to counter terrorist and proliferation financing

1-2 December 2025

Financial Intelligence Units representatives met in Strasbourg on 1-2 December 2025 to exchange best practices in strategic analysis of terrorist and proliferation financing. The conference emphasised the complementary use of open source intelligence and financial intelligence and showcased methods for mapping risks and identifying emerging threats.

Data mapping for unified suspicious transaction reporting in EU member states

27-28 November 2025

The Council of Europe organised a workshop to present the results of mapping suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and transaction record (TrR) data requirements across Europe. Representatives from EU and EEA Financial Intelligence Units engaged in constructive discussions to support the development of a Standardised Minimum Data Set for STRs.

Strengthening anti-corruption efforts in Eastern Partnership countries

30-31 October 2025

A two-day regional workshop on “Best Practices in the Investigation and Prosecution of Corruption” brought together practitioners from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine to share experiences and strengthen anti-corruption efforts. Discussions focused on prioritising cases, improving investigation methods, recovering illicit assets, and enhancing cross-border cooperation.

Closing conference of the project against economic crime (PECK III)

10 December 2025

The PECK III project marked 14 years of supporting Kosovo* in combating corruption, money laundering, and terrorist financing. The high-level conference highlighted strengthened AML/CFT frameworks, improved criminal investigations, and enhanced risk-based supervision, underscoring the EU and Council of Europe’s ongoing partnership with Kosovo’s institutions.

Enhancing the use of open source intelligence in FIU analysis

19-20 November 2025

Practitioners from nine European countries gathered in Sofia on 19–20 November 2025 for a conference on “Enhancing the Effective Use of OSINT in AML/CFT Analysis.” The event showcased best practices, innovative tools, and practical strategies for integrating open source intelligence into operational and strategic financial intelligence work, while highlighting legal, ethical, and technological considerations.

Advancing AML/CFT reforms through the EU Technical Support Instrument

September-November 2025

The ECCD has recently completed three Technical Support Instrument (TSI) initiatives supporting AML/CFT reforms in Austria, Bulgaria, and France. The projects strengthened risk-based supervision, FIU analytical capacities, and responses to emerging risks, while new TSI initiatives launched in 2025 will further support AML/CFT investigations in Bulgaria and financial crime prosecutions in Slovenia.

Enhancing EU restrictive measures' implementation: project outcomes

11-12 September 2025

The Council of Europe and European Commission concluded their project on EU sanctions implementation against Russia with a high-level conference held on 11-12 September 2025. The event highlighted the project’s key results, including practical tools, operational guidelines, and recommendations to enhance national and cross-border enforcement and prevent sanctions evasion.

Safeguarding integrity of political finance: emerging technologies in focus at CoSP11

16 December 2025

At the Tech Day of the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the Council of Europe and partners explored how emerging technologies and AI can strengthen transparency and anti-corruption efforts, particularly in political finance oversight. Discussions emphasised the need for strong legal frameworks, safeguards, and multi-stakeholder cooperation.


Council of Europe Monitoring Updates

*GRECO* GRECO publishes new Evaluation and Compliance reports on the Fourth Evaluation Round (Ireland, and Liechtenstein) and the Fifth Evaluation Round (Cyprus, Iceland, France, Malta, Portugal, Slovak Republic and United Kingdom) Whistleblower Protection Matters: GRECO’s New Thematic Paper on Whistleblowing in Law Enforcement - Group of States against Corruption “Democracy is at risk without a culture of integrity and strong anti-corruption action”: Statement by GRECO President on Anti-Corruption Day - Group of States against Corruption GRECO high-level delegation urges Poland continued efforts to prevent corruption and promote integrity GRECO Side Event with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on Integrity and Accountability at the Sub-National Level - Group of States against Corruption *MONEYVAL* MONEYVAL carried out evaluation visits to Armenia and Slovenia. Progress in measures to combat money laundering, but shortcomings remain in key areas - Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism Outcome of MONEYVAL 70th Plenary Meeting - Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism


In Other News

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: Council sanctions 41 vessels of the Russian shadow fleet - Consilium FATF releases detailed guidance to help practitioners recover criminal assets The Commission hosts the third plenary of the EU Network Against Corruption - European Commission Outcomes FATF Plenary, 22-24 October 2025 FATF, Egmont Group, INTERPOL and UNODC call for stronger co-operation between countries as they launch handbook to fight money laundering

NEW: Guidelines on political finance - concepts, standards, challenges, and best practices

These guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for campaign finance regulation, grounded in the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability. Drawing on international standards and comparative practices, they support national authorities in assessing existing systems, strengthening oversight, and building institutional capacity.

NEW: Guidelines on political finance - concepts, standards, challenges, and best practices




This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. *The links to third-party sites are provided as a convenience to you only and do not imply an endorsement by the Council of Europe of any such linked site.

Council of Europe, Avenue de l'Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 20 00

www.coe.int