On the Outcomes of the 27th EAG Plenary and working groups meetings

On November 21-24, 2017 the 27th Plenary and WG meetings of the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG) was held in Moscow (Russian Federation). The event was attended by the delegations of EAG member states: Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as representatives of EAG observer states and organizations Armenia, Iran, Italy, Korea, Mongolia, Poland, Serbia, USA, Turkey, Montenegro, France, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Asian/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), Egmont Group, CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre (CIS ATC), World Bank (WB), Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and representatives of Azerbaijan and Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors (CARICC). The Plenary work was headed by the EAG Chairman Yury Chikhanchin (Russian Federation).

The EAG Chairman read welcoming remarks from the Russian President V. Putin to the participants of the 27th EAG Plenary meeting, in which it was underlined that close cooperation between all the Group member states would allow to counter effectively the escalation of terrorism and organized crime, to defend efficiently common interests, to promote piece, international stability and security.

Plenary’s most important issues.

The Plenary meeting elected Ms. Hao Jinghua (People’s Republic of China) EAG Chair for 2018-2019. Yury Chikhanchin (Russian Federation) was voted as EAG Deputy Chairman.

Plenary meeting gives EAG observer status to the CARICC.

Participants of the EAG Plenary session examined the updated information on existing measures implemented by the UN with regard to the SC Resolutions, various reports and analytical materials of the UN structural units, and finished and scheduled research projects within the FATF. The Plenary meeting another time confirmed relevance and priority of the tasks linked to the fight against terrorism and its financing.

During the Plenary meeting were discussed the draft of the mutual evaluation report of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is the first report within the second round of EAG mutual evaluations for compliance of the EAG countries’ AML/CFT systems with the 2012 FATF Standards. After extensive discussions within the Working Group on Mutual Evaluations and Legal Issues, the Plenary decided to instruct the experts and the EAG Secretariat to finalize draft report and submit the revised draft for approval at the 28th EAG Plenary meeting.

The plenary approved the typological report "Structural Analysis of Financial Flows Linked to Cash Withdrawal Aimed at Committing Offences and Money Laundering".

The participants approved the 2017activity report of the EAG Secretariat and 2018 Action plan.

Perspective areas of EAG performance.

The Plenary meeting supported the initiative of the joint activities in cooperation with the FATF and other regional groups, including participation in workshop for prosecutors and judges, scheduled for January 2018 in China, and a typology forum with the participation of two regional groups APG and EAG in early December 2018.

Interaction with international and regional partner-organizations of the EAG.

A Memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism and the International Training and Methodological Centre for Financial Monitoring was signed within the framework of expansion of interaction with international and regional organizations.

Information on AML/CFT situation in EAG member states.

The Plenary session provided information about changes in the national legislations of the EAG member states in AML/CFT and ML/TF risk assessment.

In the best financial investigation contest won the Russian Federation. The materials of their work dedicated to the detection of criminal acts of high-ranking corrupt were presented to the judgment of the Plenary by the staff of territorial administration of Rosfinmonitoring Far Eastern Federal District.

During the EAG Plenary week in the Metropol hotel an exhibition “Children against terrorism” was held. Over 56 artistic works of children from EAG member states took part in it.

The 28th Plenary meeting will take place in May 2018, in Nánjing, People’s Republic of China.