The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Union and in coordination with the Jordanian Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JIACC) and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Unit (Jordanian FIU), convened a two-day regional roundtable on asset recovery and the management of seized and confiscated assets. The event brought together representatives from financial intelligence units, law enforcement, and judiciary bodies from Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine*, and Tunisia to exchange good practices and experiences.
Participants discussed criminal and civil confiscation mechanisms across their jurisdictions, underscoring the importance of asset recovery in disrupting illicit financial flows and reinforcing the rule of law. Emphasis was placed on the strategic role of confiscation in promoting accountability and enabling the use of recovered assets for public benefit, including social and environmental purposes. Special attention was given to emerging challenges in the seizure and confiscation of virtual assets.
The second part of the roundtable focused on managing seized assets, examining institutional frameworks, procedural requirements, and alternative models for effective administration. Discussions highlighted the need for both national and cross-border cooperation to enhance asset management practices.
Recognising the transnational nature of economic crime, the roundtable also addressed international cooperation and mutual legal assistance. Participants engaged with a representative of the soon-to-be-launched Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA ARIN), which aims to boost cross-border asset recovery efforts in the region.
The roundtable served as a valuable platform for peer learning and regional dialogue, supporting the implementation of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and reinforcing inter-agency collaboration for more effective asset recovery and management.
The regional workshop was organised in the framework of the joint EU/Council of Europe Programme “Protecting human rights, rule of law and democracy through shared standards in the Southern Mediterranean” (South Programme V), under the component “Promotion of good governance: fight against corruption, money laundering and financing of terrorism in the Southern Mediterranean” (SNAC V).