On 17 November 2022 the C198-COP held a Joint session with the PC-OC in Strasbourg, in order to discuss and consider the development of CoE instruments in the field of criminal asset recovery, the management and sharing of confiscated assets, as well as non-conviction-based forfeiture. Ambassador Petr Válek, Chair of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Rapporteur Group on Legal Co-operation (GR-J) and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic and Mr Jan Kleijssen, Director of Information Society and Action against Crime of the Council of Europe opened the Joint Session.
Both underlined the importance of consolidated efforts to combat economic crime through the continued development of Council of Europe legal instruments in this field. Discussion panels included renown asset recovery practitioners from Council of Europe member and non-member states, as well as international organisations and academic institutions. The key topics of the session were based on the PC-OC “Study on the possible added value and feasibility of preparing a new binding instrument in the Council of Europe on international co-operation as regards the management, recovery and sharing of assets proceeding from crime”.
Participants of the Joint Session generally agreed with the key recommendations of the Study and agreed to take the next steps in this work. The outcomes of the Joint Session will be presented to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.