Promoting transparency and action against economic crime
Over the recent years the countries of Central Asia have pursued reforms designed to prevent and punish corrupt practices in order to improve business climate in the region and promote sustainable economic development for the benefit of all. The present Action aims to contribute to improving the conditions for businesses and to enhancing the quality of anti-corruption systems across the region. The Action comprises two components: 1) Business integrity and compliance; 2) Anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and asset recovery systems.
Enhancing transparency, business integrity and the protection of rights of entrepreneurs is one of the priorities of the countries of the Central Asian region. The current Action focuses on establishing mechanisms and enhancing capacities to address extortion and solicitation from businesses, reducing administrative barriers and enhancing compliance across the business sector. On the regional level, the aim of the intervention is to establish effective mechanisms for sharing good practices and to contribute to developing a clearer understanding of the common regional and cross-border corruption risks facing the business sector. On the national level, the Action focuses on the specific priorities of the respective countries in the abovementioned thematic areas and seeks to provide tailor-made assistance to reforms.
Work in this area concentrates on improving mechanisms and capacities of authorities, including law enforcement, to prevent and tackle corruption, money laundering and economic crime as well as on strengthening national systems to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. The regional dimension of the component includes conducting studies on corruption and economic crime focusing on specific regional risks and threats, and regional cascade training programmes for law enforcement personnel and civil service staff. The national dimension focuses on the specific needs and demand, depending on the national contexts and reform processes.
Closing Regional Conference of the Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2024
On 11 June 2024, the joint EU/Council of Europe Central Asia Rule of Law Programme organised its Closing Regional Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the programme results and lessons learned during its implementation years from 2020 to 2024. Central...
Exchange of best practices between anti-corruption authorities of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Council of Europe member states
Representatives of anti-corruption authorities of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan met with their counterparts from nine anti-corruption bodies from Council of Europe member states (Croatia, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Malta, and the United Kingdom), in the framework of an...
Enhancing risk-based supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professions in Kazakhstan
In the areas of anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing (AML/CFT), supervisory authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan improved their capacities in risk-based supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFPBs through three workshops held in Astana from...
International public call for tenders aiming to purchase IT tools for beneficiary institutions in four Central Asia countries
The Council of Europe is currently implementing the Action “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime in Central Asia” (CA TAEC) as part of the joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe – Central Asia Rule of Law Programme 2020-2024. In that context, the...
Supporting the anti-corruption compliance in the private sector in Kazakhstan
The Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia (CA TAEC), organised a four-day training of trainers in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ATAMEKEN) in Astana, on 5-8 December 2023. The training aimed at improving the...
Kyrgyz judges and prosecutors enhance their capacities for the adjudication of economic crime cases
The Action “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia organised a workshop on “Adjudication of economic crime cases for the judges and prosecutors of the Kyrgyz Republic”. The event, which took place on 23-24 November in Bishkek, aimed at enhancing the capacities...
Exchange of experience with Central Asian countries on possible abuses of virtual assets
The Council of Europe organised a two-day workshop on “Preventing the abuse of virtual assets – tools and comparative experiences against economic crime” on 24-25 October 2023 in Strasbourg (France). This inter-regional workshop brought together more than 50 representatives of Ministries,...
Uzbekistan: Strengthening the capacities of public officials on preventing corruption and advancing integrity
The Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia (CA TAEC) supported the Anti-Corruption Agency and other public institutions of Uzbekistan in a two-day training on 3-4 October 2023 in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan. The activity aimed at improving...
Representatives of Tajikistan participated in a seminar on Council of Europe Conventions
Representatives of various Tajik institutions have participated in the Seminar on Council of Europe Conventions at the Council of Europe Headquarters in Strasbourg (France) on 19-21 September 2023. The delegation was composed of representatives of the Executive Office, Ministry of Justice,...
Kyrgyzstan: Supporting the anti-corruption compliance in the private sector
On 5-8 September, the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the International Business Council and the Anti-Corruption Business Council of Kyrgyzstan, organised a training of trainers in Bishkek. The event was attended by over 30 private sector representatives, including business associations,...
Kyrgyzstan: Supporting the anti-corruption compliance in the private sector
On 5-8 September, the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the International Business Council and the Anti-Corruption Business Council of Kyrgyzstan, organised a training of trainers in Bishkek. The event was attended by over 30 private sector representatives, including business associations,...
Advanced training to strengthen the capacities of investigators and prosecutors for effective investigations of economic crimes in the Kyrgyz Republic
The Action “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia organised a four-day training activity in co-operation with the Training Centre of the State Financial Intelligence Service (SFIS) of the Kyrgyz Republic to improve the capacities of the national authorities to...
Advanced training to strengthen the capacities of investigators and prosecutors for effective investigations of economic crimes in Kazakhstan
The Action “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia organised a four-day training activity in cooperation with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Academy). The activity aimed at supporting the...
Enhancing business integrity and compliance of the private sector in Central Asia
The Council of Europe organised a three-day regional workshop on “Enhancing business integrity and compliance of the private sector in Central Asia” with competent authorities of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The workshop took place in Strasbourg on 11-13 July...
Technical Assistance provided to Kazakhstan to effectively implement the recommendations of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
A delegation of 25 public officials representing 13 institutions from Kazakhstan participated in a workshop organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 21 June 2023. The aim of the workshop was to discuss the effective implementation of the recommendations issued by the Group of States...
Introduction of Council of Europe Methodology on National Corruption Risk Assessment to the authorities of Kazakhstan
The Council of Europe organised on 20 June 2023 in Strasbourg a workshop with competent authorities of Kazakhstan. It aimed at introducing to the authorities of Kazakhstan the Council of Europe´s Methodology for conducting National Corruption Risk Assessment (NCRA). The event gathered over 25...
Kyrgyz authorities enhance capacity in fighting money laundering by improving the transparency of beneficial owners of legal entities
The Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” supported the Financial Intelligence Service (SFIS) and the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic (NBKR) in their efforts to enhance transparency of the beneficial owners of legal entities and legal arrangements through...
Support for Kazakhstan in establishing a beneficial ownership register
Council of Europe is currently supporting the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) in the preparation of a roadmap for the establishment of a Beneficial Ownership (BO) Register in Kazakhstan. As a first step, a scoping mission took place in Astana on 20-21 April 2023 to present international best...
Strengthening the capacities of investigators and prosecutors on financial investigations of economic crimes in Uzbekistan
The Action on “Promoting Transparency and Action against Economic Crime” in Central Asia (CA TAEC) supported the national competent institutions of Uzbekistan to improve their capacities in conducting financial investigations to combat economic crimes by organising a training activity in Tashkent...
Financial Intelligence Unit and law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan improve their strategic analysis skills
A training session on Strategic Analysis, held from 27 to 31 March 2023, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, welcomed 26 participants from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Interior, the State Committee on National Security, the Agency for State...