Over 40 practitioners from 15 EU beneficiary States, together with representatives of neighbouring jurisdictions, gathered in Strasbourg, France on 25 June 2026 to exchange experiences and receive practical guidance on developing or enhancing institutional frameworks for Asset Management Offices (AMOs).
The workshop focused on institutional models and governance structures for AMOs, examining the operational advantages of integrated, standalone and hybrid models, while identifying the factors that should guide countries in selecting the approach best suited to their national contexts.
Participants also explored mechanisms to strengthen coordination among law enforcement authorities, prosecutors and courts, including frameworks for inter-agency cooperation, expedited freezing procedures and procedural safeguards. The programme further highlighted good practices in the establishment and operation of AMOs, showcasing both successful approaches and practical challenges encountered across different jurisdictions.
These exchanges are particularly timely in light of recent developments under the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (CETS No 198, the Warsaw Convention), including the recently adopted Additional Protocol, which further strengthens the international legal framework for asset recovery and asset management.
The Additional Protocol underscores the importance of effective asset management throughout the confiscation process and calls on States Parties to establish or designate AMOs capable of ensuring the proper management of all property that has been frozen, seized or confiscated, while preserving its value.
Against this background, the workshop provided an important opportunity for Beneficiary states to assess whether their existing institutional arrangements adequately support effective asset management and to consider how dedicated AMOs can further strengthen the efficiency of national asset recovery systems.
The “Action against Corruption and Money Laundering in Europe” is funded by the EEA and Norway Grants financial mechanism and implemented by the Council of Europe Economic Crime and Cooperation Division.
