A workshop on “Comparative practices on access to financial and non-financial sector information and related inter-agency co-operation for effective verification of asset declarations” was held in Belgrade on October 4, 2021.

The workshop gathered representatives of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and relevant national institutions. Opening remarks were provided by Ms Nadia Cuk, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, Mr Evgeni Evgeniev, Head of Unit within the Economic Crime and Co-operation Department of the Council of Europe, and Ms Ivana Cvetkovic, Assistant Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption.

The workshop has been led by international experts from Slovenia and Romania who presented different practice in co-operation from various jurisdictions in the region and discussed with participants challenges in inter-agency co-operation and access to information in Serbia.

The Agency for Prevention of Corruption recently gained new powers in access to financial and non-financial information to verify asset declarations of politically exposed persons. In order to enhance effectiveness in inter-agency co-operation on exchange of information, the Council of Europe is providing technical assistance to the Agency and other national institutions and will conduct an analysis and provide recommendations for potential changes and improvements of the system.

The Project “Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Serbia” is funded by Sweden, represented by the Swedish International Development Agency and implemented by the Council of Europe.