Western Balkans conference on money laundering, corruption

It said that the conference “delved into case studies to examine the primary money laundering risks and corruption factors linked to environmental crime, including regional patterns of illicit financial flows”. “These discussions also provided an opportunity to identify shared challenges and innovative strategies, extending beyond the region, while fostering synergies with the EU’s environmental protection policy priorities,” it added.

The conference was organised with the support of the EU and the Council of Europe bringing together key stakeholders from law enforcement, environmental and financial intelligence agencies, as well as civil society representatives and experts to tackle the interconnected challenges of environmental crime, corruption and other financial crimes, that pose significant threats to the environment and socio-economic stability in the Western Balkans.

The conference is part of the broader framework of the Action against Economic Crime in the Western Balkans aimed to support the public authorities in the region in improving their anti-corruption and anti-money laundering policy and operational responses regarding environmental crimes, at the domestic and regional level. In this context, it is a precursor to a thematic regional review which aims to enhance understanding on financial aspects of environmental crime.