During the 24th Egmont Group Plenary Meetings that took place in Macau, the European Commission and Europolwere awarded Observer Status of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs). The decision will lead to increased cooperation not only between FIUs, but other competent authorities tasked with combating money laundering, terrorist financing and organised crime, facilitated by Europol’s role as an European hub in support of Member States on ongoing operations. The Egmont Group is a united body of over 150 FIUs that provides a platform for the secure exchange of expertise and financial intelligence to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. At the meeting, Ms Hennie Verbeek-Kusters (FIU Netherlands) was appointed as Chair of the Egmont Group for the coming two years. The European Commission and Europol strongly support the objectives of the Egmont Group by encouraging cooperation between FIUs at an EU level. Together with EU FIUs, the European Commission and Europol are actively involved in ensuring the integrity of European markets through work with the EU FIU Platform, FIU.net, the recently implemented Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive and the implementation of the EU Action Plan against terrorist financing. New EU rules that strengthen the role of and cooperation between FIUs came into force across Europe on 26 June.
c.s. – Europol
