On the results of the 27th EAG Plenary Meeting

The Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG) had its 27th Plenary meeting and meetings of Working Groups in Moscow (Russian Federation) from 21 to 24 November 2017.

A.    General Information on EAG Plenary Meeting

The event was attended by delegations of EAG member states: Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the EAG observer states and organizations: Armenia, France, Iran, Italy, Korea, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, USA, FATF, APG, MONEYVAL, Egmont Group, Anti-Terrorist Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ATC CIS), Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Eurasian Development Bank (EABD), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE ), United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee (UN CTC), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Bank (WB), as well as the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC) which were invited by the Plenary.

The EAG Chairman Mr. Yuri Chikhanchin (Russia) chaired the Plenary.

The EAG Chairman presented a welcoming address of the President of the Russian Federation V.Putin to the participants of the 27th EAG Plenary meeting. It highlighted that close cooperation between all EAG member-states provides for an effective fight against escalation of terrorism and organised crime, an efficient protection of mutual interests and peacekeeping, as well as international stability and security. 

B.    Important Issues of the Plenary Session

The Plenary elected Ms. HAO Jinghua (People's Republic of China) as EAG Chairman for 2018-2019. 

Mr. Yury Chikhanchin (Russian Federation) was elected as EAG Vice Chairman. 

By the decision of the Plenary the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC) was granted status of an observer in the EAG.

The Plenary considered the update on existing measures related to the UN Security Council resolutions, various UN reports and analytical materials, as well as completed and planned FATF typologies. The Plenary reaffirmed the importance and prioritisation of objectives related to combating terrorism and its financing. 

The Plenary considered the draft mutual evaluation report of the Kyrgyz Republic. This is the first report within the framework of the EAG 2nd round of mutual evaluations on compliance with the FATF Standards. After a comprehensive discussion at the Working Group on mutual evaluations and legal issues, the Plenary decided to task the assessment team and the EAG Secretariat to revise the draft report and submit the finalised draft for approval to the 28th EAG Plenary.

The Plenary adopted the typology report “Structural analysis of financial flows related to cash-in with a purpose of committing offenses and money laundering”. The report will be available on the EAG web-site.

The Plenary participants endorsed the report on the work of the EAG Secretariat in 2017 as well as the work plan for 2018.

C.    Next steps

The Plenary meeting supported the initiative of joint activities in conjunction with FATF and other regional groups, including the participation in the seminar for prosecutors and judges in January 2018 in China and in the typological forum with the participation of two FSRBs (APG and EAG) in the first decade of December 2018.

D.    Cooperation with International and Regional Organizations, which are EAG Partners

Within the framework of expanding the cooperation with international and regional organisations, 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.

E.    EAG Member States AML/CFT Status

At the Plenary meeting, information on the amendments to the national legislation of the EAG member-states in the field of AML / CFT and the ML / FT risk assessment was provided.

F.    Other

The Plenary expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for the warm hospitality and excellent organization of the 27th EAG Plenary Meeting and Meeting of the Working groups. 

The 28th EAG Plenary will take place in May 2018, in Nanjing, People's Republic of China.