The results of the 30th EAG Plenary Meeting

A.    General Information on EAG Plenary Meeting

The Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG) held its 30th Plenary meeting and meetings of Working Groups in Moscow (Russian Federation) on May 27-31, 2019.
The event was attended by delegations of EAG member states: Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and representatives of the EAG observer states and organizations: Armenia, Iran, Italy, Mongolia, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, France, FATF, Egmont Group, Anti-Terrorist Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ATC CIS), UNSC 1267 Committee Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Executive Committee of Commonwealth Independent States (EC CIS), International  Monetary Fund (IMF), Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC), as well as the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and New Development Banks invited by the Chairperson.
The EAG Chairperson Ms. HAO Jinghua (China) chaired the Plenary.
Welcome address of Mr. Anatoly Seryshev, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation was presented to the EAG Plenary.

B.    Important Issues of the Plenary Session

In accordance with the EAG 2nd round of mutual evaluation procedures, the Plenary took note of and approved the joint IMF/FATF/APG/EAG Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of the People’s Republic of China, previously considered and approved by the FATF Plenary in February 2019. 
According to the Procedures of the EAG 2nd round of mutual evaluations, the Plenary took note of the first follow-up report of the Kyrgyz Republic. 
The Kyrgyz Republic informed the Plenary that it was intending to request several technical compliance re-ratings at the 31st Plenary Meeting, to reflect the improvements to the national AML/CFT regulatory framework. 
The Plenary, accommodating requests from the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, approved a revised schedule of EAG 2nd round of mutual evaluations. 
The Plenary approved the EAG 2019-2023 Strategy, providing strategic guidance to the EAG, its membership and Secretariat for the coming years, with a focus on a need to conduct a regional ML/TF risk assessment and start a pilot project on the newly suggested approach to technical assistance coordination with one of EAG member states whose MERs have been approved. 
The Plenary considered practical issues of EAG membership cooperation in combating the financing of terrorism. The Plenary reaffirms its commitment to this highly relevant work and encourages the EAG member states to continue sharing their national terrorism designations lists.
The Plenary the approved the Typology Report “Features of Cross-Border Schemes to Fund Drug Trafficking and Launder Drug Trafficking Proceeds Through Electronic Payment Systems and Cryptocurrencies.” The report will be published on the EAG website.
The Plenary has approved the EAG Annual Report for 2018, the EAG Budget for 2020, and considered the findings of the external audit of the EAG Secretariat. 

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

The Plenary has extended the status of EAG observer to the New Development Bank who co-organized a mid-week workshop on the topic of “Conducting financial investigations on virtual assets and improving the infrastructure of the FIU, including through use of artificial intelligence”.
The Plenary has supported a suggestion from the Anti-Terrorist Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States to conduct a joint workshop on CFT issues in 2020, with ITMCFM support.
The Plenary has, in consideration of the special importance of joint operational efforts spearheaded by heads of FIUs in the region, supported a suggestion from the Russian Federation to regularly invite the CIS Heads of FIU Council to present its outcomes. 
The initiative of the Kyrgyz Republic has been approved to hold the Eurasian forum in the sphere of AML/CFT at the Issyk-kul lake in September of 2019.

D.    EAG Member States AML/CFT Status

The EAG member states presented information on amendments to their national AML/CFT legislation and the ML/FT risk assessments. 
The Republic of Belarus, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan shared their experiences and best practices in preparing for mutual evaluations.

E.    Other

The Plenary expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for the warm hospitality and excellent organization of the 30th EAG Plenary Meeting and Meetings of the Working Groups. 
The 31st EAG Plenary will take place in Turkmenistan in November 2019.