Eurojust Establishes Pan-EU Group to Strengthen AML and Financial Crime Response

Eurojust has announced the creation of a European-wide group aimed at enhancing collaboration between judges, prosecutors, and anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crime experts. The initiative seeks to better equip judicial authorities across EU member states with specialized knowledge on financial crime matters, including guidance on payouts to victims and post-conviction investigations.

The decision to establish the Judicial Focus Group on Money Laundering and Asset Recovery was approved on 5 November 2024 by Eurojust’s College, following recommendations made during the organization’s “Meetings on Money Laundering and Asset Recovery,” held in June.

In a statement, Eurojust emphasized the group’s mission to address key areas such as post-conviction financial investigations. “The Focus Group would give judicial authorities guidance on specific matters such as post-conviction financial investigations,” Eurojust said.

The group will also provide advice on exceptional costs linked to freezing and confiscation orders, as well as compensation for victims of financial crimes. Eurojust aims to achieve this by facilitating communication between judiciary members and a diverse range of anti-financial crime experts in EU member states.

Experts identified by Eurojust to support this effort include law enforcement officials, financial intelligence units, financial accountants, and specialists in cryptocurrency. “Eurojust is uniquely placed to bridge the gap between the national hubs by creating this international platform represented by the judiciary,” the organization said.

By fostering closer collaboration between legal authorities and financial crime experts, Eurojust intends to strengthen the judicial response to money laundering and asset recovery efforts across the EU.

By fLEXI tEAM