Anti money laundering operational network 2021/2022- French and Spanish presidency: AMON

Programme(s): Internal Security Fund Police-Organised crime and human trafficking

Topic(s): ISFP-2019-AG-IBA-AMON

Type of action: ISF-Police Action Grant

Project ID: 101004015

Objective

Europol’s SOCTA 2017 formally recognized for the first time the scale of money laundering (ML) threat linked to virtually all asset gaining criminal activities. By allowing Organized Crime Groups (OCGs) to integrate the proceeds of crime, money laundering sustains and contributes to the growth of criminal markets across the EU. The idea of creating an expert network in the field was introduced in 2009. The project came into force in 2012 when the Anti-Money Laundering Operational Network (AMON) was launched. AMON’s aim is to enhance the effectiveness of prevention against ML as well as strengthen investigations in ML cases through the promotion of international cooperation between experts from different jurisdictions. The network (40 members, 16 of which are not part of the EU) is led by a Steering Group (SG) which consists of 5 EU MS: Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, plus the United Kingdom. Each year one member serves as the network Presidency. The SG meets 3 or 4 times a year in Steering Group Meetings (SGM). AMON Presidency supported by the SG organises one Annual General Meeting (AGM) to which all members and observers are invited. During the 2021-2022 French-Spanish presidency, the network pursues 2 main goals: - to increase and stabilize the number of SG members (to have at least 8 permanent members); - to convince EU MS not yet members of AMON to join the network (Lithuania, Hungary, Croatia and Poland). 4 SGM and 1 AGM will take place each year. Besides these activities, the Presidency will also strive to establish strong bonds with the 4 EU MS that haven’t joined the network and encourage other AMON members to be part of the SG. Ultimately, AMON aims at becoming an experts’ network qualified to assist countries in obtaining tangible results in the field of anti-money laundering by facilitating operational cooperation between states, enhancing the knowledge on ML and upgrading the expertise of its members through the organization of quality training.