The workshop International Cooperation in the Area of Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets, took place on 22–23 June 2026 in Strasbourg, bringing together European and international experts to discuss the legal and practical aspects of international cooperation in the management of seized and confiscated assets, with a particular focus on Cyprus and its upcoming Asset Management Office (AMO).
The first day was dedicated to discussions with the Cypriot authorities on a technical assessment of the national framework, identifying opportunities to strengthen legislation and operational practice. The discussions focused on the need to adopt national legislation transposing Regulation (EU) 2018/1805, the establishment of a dedicated legal framework for the AMO, clearer rules on deadlines, asset management costs and the disposal of assets, greater clarity regarding the Council of Ministers' discretion to recognise additional categories of foreign orders, and a clearer separation of the respective roles of the Court and the Unit.
Participants also discussed two proposed models of asset-sharing agreements - one for use with the EU Member States and another for cases involving non-EU jurisdictions - which could serve as practical templates for Cyprus in negotiating future asset-sharing arrangements.
On the second day, representatives of different European AMOs have exchanged their practical experiences on cross-border asset management, challenges they faced and good practices in addressing them. Discussions encompassed pre-seizure coordination both within the states and between requesting and executing states; different practices for the evaluation and interim sale of seized assets at the request of another state; the allocation of asset management costs, and the handling of competing confiscation requests involving the same assets.
Participants highlighted the growing use of asset-sharing agreements and the differences between the equal sharing rule under the EU Regulation and the negotiated arrangements applied under other international legal instruments.
The workshop concluded with a shared recognition that international cooperation should extend beyond asset recovery to asset management, through closer cooperation between Asset Management Offices including the regular exchange of intelligence, expertise and operational experience.
The workshop was held within the framework of the 2024 Council of Europe/European Union Technical Support Instrument "Establishment of an asset management office in Cyprus".