As part of ongoing efforts to improve transparency and combat financial crime, the Council of Europe organised a tailored workshop for the dedicated Working Group of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18-19 June 2025 to support the establishment of a Beneficial Ownership Register in the District. The event was held as a follow-up to the Council of Europe’s support to developing a roadmap on the establishment of beneficial ownership registers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The main goal of the workshop was to provide practical, expert guidance tailored to the legal and institutional context of the Brčko District. Through expert presentations and group discussions, participants explored key steps, as well as legal and administrative challenges in setting up an effective beneficial ownership register.
The topics covered included international standards - in particular rules of the Financial Action Task Force and the European Union - priority actions to be taken, as well as the principles of managing beneficial ownership registers, including data collection, verification, and supervision.
This event aimed to help local authorities put the roadmap into action by identifying clear, realistic measures. The roadmap is based on international good practices and lessons learned from other countries, and the current situation on the ground.
Improving transparency in beneficial ownership is essential to fight corruption, money laundering, and terrorism financing. Beneficial ownership registers help prevent the misuse of companies and other legal entities to hide criminal activity. This workshop marks an important step forward in Brčko District’s commitment to transparency and good governance.
The workshop was organised as part of the “Action against corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing in Bosnia and Herzegovina” which is implemented through the Council of Europe’s and the European Union’s joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye,” and its complementary project implemented under the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025 and funded through voluntary contributions.