The outcomes of the V Forum of Parliamentarians of the EAG Member States

The V Forum of Parliamentarians of EAG Member States took place on 19 May 2026, on the margins of the 44th EAG Plenary Meeting. The theme of the forum was 'Legislative Measures to Combat Crimes Committed Using New Technologies'.

This landmark event brought together representatives from nine Member States, as well as Observers and invited delegations from Azerbaijan, Iran, Nigeria, Serbia, the United States, the IMF, the OSCE, the UNOCT and other organisations.

Parliamentarians and representatives of the executive authorities, financial intelligence units, central banks and finance ministries discussed legislative approaches that can adequately respond to technological development while minimising the risk of new technologies being used for criminal purposes.

Forum participants acknowledged that technological innovations create favourable conditions not only for legitimate users, but also for individuals with criminal intent. The availability of new technological solutions, including artificial intelligence, when combined with social engineering techniques, is leading to a rapid increase in cybercrime and the resulting damage on a large scale.

In this context, it was suggested that a vulnerability lies in the lack of criminalisation of using generative artificial intelligence to circumvent customer due diligence procedures when using the services of financial and non-financial institutions, and in the lack of adequate supervision of decentralised finance (DeFi).

Forum participants agreed that effectively detecting and suppressing cyber-enabled fraud and other crimes committed using new technologies would be impossible without utilising the full range of AML/CFT/CPF tools, and consistently improving the legislative framework in line with the Global AML Standards.

Legislative harmonisation of mutual legal assistance procedures regarding the freezing, seizure and confiscation of virtual assets, as well as the collection of digital evidence, could pose significant challenges to the cross-border movement of criminal assets.

The Declaration of the V Forum of Parliamentarians reaffirms its participants' firm intention to strengthen international cooperation to combat cross-border crimes committed using new technologies.

Declaration of outcomes of the V Forum of Parliamentarians of EAG Member States

Following the V Forum of Parliamentarians, parliamentarians and representatives of the competent authorities of the EAG Member States declare the below mentioned, having discussed legislative measures to combat crimes committed using new technologies.

Forum participants acknowledge that technological innovations drive economic and social progress, making financial services more accessible and efficient, and contributing to societal well-being. However, these same innovations also lower the barrier to market entry, creating favourable conditions not only for legitimate customers, but also for individuals with criminal intent. The availability of new technological solutions, including artificial intelligence, when combined with social engineering techniques, is leading to a rapid increase in cybercrime and the scale of the resulting damage.

The development of financial sector infrastructure and the use of virtual assets and cross-border payments in criminal schemes allow criminal proceeds to be moved almost instantly. This makes it extremely difficult to identify and suspend such transactions in a timely manner.

Cyber-enabled fraud has become one of the most widespread forms of crime, generating significant criminal proceeds. It is not limited to the abuse of trust alone, but is increasingly linked to “mules” schemes, drug trafficking, terrorist financing and cyber-terrorism. These pose direct threats to national security.

In this context, vulnerabilities include the lack of criminalisation of using generative artificial intelligence to circumvent customer due diligence procedures when using the services of financial and non-financial institutions, and the lack of adequate supervision of decentralised finance (DeFi).

Forum participants agree that effectively detecting and suppressing cyber-enabled fraud and other crimes committed using new technologies is impossible without actively deploying the full range of AML/CFT/CPF tools and consistently improving the legislative framework based on the Global AML Standards.

Legislators recognise that targeted regulatory frameworks play a decisive role in mitigating the risks of innovations being used for illegal purposes. Such frameworks are designed to respond promptly to emerging challenges and to create the legislative conditions for developing and implementing new technologies that counter criminal ambitions.

Legislation in the participating states of the Forum can facilitate swift and effective international cooperation in freezing, seizing and confiscating virtual assets. Standardising mutual legal assistance procedures relating to digital evidence can significantly hinder the cross-border movement of criminal assets.

Legislators welcome the participation of representatives from financial intelligence units, other competent authorities, and national banks in the Forum, and intend to expand the range of participants further by involving law enforcement agencies and other authorities engaged in AML. This will ensure more comprehensive coverage of current issues and regulatory gaps in this area.

Forum participants reaffirm their intention to strengthen international cooperation further by pooling efforts to combat cross-border crime involving new technologies. This will be achieved through joint awareness projects to enhance public legal awareness and promote law-abiding behavior, as well as through voluntary knowledge, experience and best practice exchanges in the new technologies area, including artificial intelligence, digital forensics and secure financial services, alongside the laws adopted to combat crimes committed using new technologies.