Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) from across Europe convened at the Council of Europe for a two-day conference dedicated to enhancing the strategic analysis function in the areas of terrorist financing (TF) and proliferation financing (PF). The event, which was organised by the Council of Europe on 1-2 December 2025 brought together practitioners to exchange methodologies, share analytical tools, and examine how open-source intelligence (OSINT) can complement financial intelligence in identifying emerging risks.

Throughout the discussions, participants underscored the increasingly vital role of FIUs in producing strategic intelligence that informs policy, supervision, and operational priorities. As TF and PF networks become more adaptive and technologically sophisticated, FIUs highlighted the need to integrate financial indicators with contextual and behavioural insights drawn from a wide range of data sources. This includes suspicious transaction reports, supervisory information, customs and law-enforcement data, commercial databases, and publicly available material.

FIUs from several jurisdictions presented illustrative examples of recent strategic analysis initiatives. These ranged from mapping TF financial flows and analysing the misuse of non-profit organisations, to identifying PF-related procurement risks and examining vulnerabilities linked to dual-use goods. Presenters described methodologies such as multi-source data fusion, network analysis, thematic risk reviews, and the use of trend-detection tools capable of identifying emerging threats. Participants also stressed the importance of structured analytical frameworks, clear risk indicators, and the ability to translate findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers and competent authorities.

A significant portion of the conference focused on the complementary role of OSINT in strengthening strategic products. Experts highlighted how public sources – such as corporate registries, trade information, media reporting, geospatial data, and digital-platform activity – can enhance the contextual understanding of financial intelligence. Presenters shared examples of incorporating OSINT to identify procurement patterns, detect online fundraising efforts, assess cross-border linkages, and monitor narratives linked to conflict zones or high-risk jurisdictions.

The final exchanges reflected on shared challenges, including data availability, methodological consistency, and the need for enhanced analytical tools and inter-agency cooperation. Participants agreed that strategic analysis is a cornerstone of effective national responses to TF and PF and that FIUs, through more sophisticated use of financial data and OSINT, can play a leading role in identifying and anticipating evolving risks.

The conference forms part of the Council of Europe’s ongoing work to support jurisdictions in strengthening their AML/CFT frameworks and meeting international expectations regarding the production and use of strategic financial intelligence. As part of these efforts, the Council of Europe is currently finalising a comprehensive manual on strategic analysis, which will provide concrete guidance on conducting TF and PF analysis and further assist authorities in strengthening their analytical capabilities.