Preventing and fighting economic crime in Azerbaijan
What is the goal and objective of the action?
The project seeks to support Azerbaijani national stakeholders to foster measures for preventing and fighting corruption, money laundering, and terrorist financing, as well as for the recovery of assets in line with international standards and recommendations provided by the Council of Europe monitoring bodies. Overall, project activities contribute to enhancing the legislative/regulatory frameworks and strengthening competencies in the area of anti-corruption, including in the investigation and prosecution of money laundering and other economic crimes cases, as well as effective recovery of illicit proceeds.
This project is implemented within the third phase of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Partnership for Good Governance” running from 1 March 2023 until 28 February 2027. 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).
- Funding: EUR 1,002,500
Duration of the project: The project runs from 1 March 2023 to 28 February 2027.
Who benefits from the action?
- Commission on Combatting Corruption
- General Prosecutor’s Office
- Anti-Corruption General Directorate under the General Prosecutor’s Office
- Financial Monitoring Service
- Supreme Court
- Court for Serious Crimes
- Court of Appeals
- Ministry of Justice and Academy of Justice
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy
- State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
- Central Bank
- State Security Service
- State Customs Committee
- Azerbaijani Bar Association
- Chamber of Auditors
- Chamber of Notaries
- Financial and non-financial institutions
- Civil society and the general public
How does the action work?
Through a combination of tailored policy/legislative, capacity-building and awareness raising actions.
What do we expect to achieve?
- Improved mechanisms and capacities for effective corruption prevention
- Enhanced anti-money laundering, countering terrorism financing and asset recovery measures
Monitoring
Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
Country monitoring | Azerbaijan
Country monitoring | Azerbaijan
Standard settings
- Committee of Experts on Criminal Asset Recovery (PC-RAC)
- Committee of Experts on the Operation of European Conventions on Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PC-OC)
- Committee of Experts on the protection of the environment through Criminal Law (PC-ENV)
- Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CETS 198
- European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC)
- European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ)
Other relevant European and international standards
- UNCAC
- OECD Convention on combating bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions
- FATF Recommendations (2012)
- FATF Methodology (2013)
- EUROPEAN UNION
HELP online training
HELP – Introduction to Corruption Prevention (6 hours) (available in English)
More courses available on the Council of Europe HELP e-learning platform.
Legal Standards
Approach - Economic Crime and Cooperation Division
Publications in English
Publications - Economic Crime and Cooperation Division
Completed projects:
Strengthening Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery in Azerbaijan (PGG II Azerbaijan) - Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (January 2019 - February 2023)
Strengthening capacities to fight and prevent corruption in Azerbaijan (PGG-Azerbaijan) - Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (January 2015 - December 2018)
Support to the anti-corruption strategy of Azerbaijan (AZPAC) - Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (September 2007 - September 2009)
Action Plan for Azerbaijan 2022-2026
