Approach
The Council of Europe’s approach against corruption (AC) and anti-money laundering (AML) and Countering of Terrorist Financing (CFT) is threefold.
- Standard setting in the form of treaty law and through other "soft law" instruments (recommendations and resolutions);
- Monitoring of the compliance by those jurisdictions that have subscribed to Council of Europe’s and other global standards through its monitoring mechanisms, in particular 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); and
- Technical cooperation, as the last corner of the triangle, through which the Council of Europe supports the member states and nonmembers to bridge gaps in the legislative and institutional frameworks and in addressing any capacity building needs.
The technical cooperation and assistance related activities and programmes are implemented by the Economic Crime Cooperation Division.
In using standard-setting, monitoring, and technical assistance altogether, the Council of Europe as a Pan-European political organisation displays a unique added value in supporting significant reforms concerning economic crime, corruption and money laundering in many of its Members States and beyond in the neighbourhood regions.
Council of Europe presence, partnership and approach when involved in those reforms and cooperation modalities offers to the countries: access to experience and knowledge in mainstreaming their legislation in line with European acquis; sharing tools to effectively implement international standards; using the Council’s monitoring methodologies to address concerns in neighbouring regions; coordinating, supporting and hosting professional networks which promote better international co-operation in criminal matters (European Union/Council of Europe member States and other countries).
Such networks and exchange of good practices in implementing and monitoring international and European standards, have served to build capacities and create strong links among homologue practitioners, professionals and government structures that share common goals and objectives when tackling economic and organised crime and its cross-border effects.
Council of Europe - Standards and instruments
Anti-corruption
- Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (ETS 173)
- Civil Law Convention on Corruption (ETS 174)
- Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (CETS 215)
- Additional Protocol to the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (ETS 191)
- Resolution (97) 24 Concerning Twenty Guiding Principles on the fight against Corruption
- Rec(2000)10E 11 May 2000 on Codes of Conduct for Public Officials
- Rec(2003)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on Common Rules against Corruption in the Funding of Political parties and electoral campaigns
- Rec(2014)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of whistleblowers
- Rec(2017)2 of the Committee of Ministers to member States
on the legal regulation of lobbying activities in the context of public decision making - Venice Commission (with OSCE) – Guidelines on Political Party Regulation
Anti-money laundering and terrorist financing
- Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime [CETS 141]
- Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism [CETS 198]
- Recommendation on measures against the transfer and safekeeping of funds of criminal origin [Recommendation No R (80) 10]
- Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS 196)
- Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS 217)
- PACE - Resolution 2130 (2016) - Lessons from the “Panama Papers to ensure fiscal and social justice
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on “special investigation techniques” in relation to serious crimes including acts of terrorism
International Cooperation
- European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (ETS 030)
- Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (ETS 099)
- Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (ETS 182)
- CoE/OECD Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (ETS 127)
- Protocol amending the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (ETS 208)
Monitoring
- Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
- Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL)
Standard Settings
- Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CETS 198
- European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC)
- European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ)
- Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC)