The Egmont Group published a horizontal analysis of Mutual Evaluation Reports for the Europe II Regional Group, assessing the operational effectiveness of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) against Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Immediate Outcome 2 on international cooperation and Immediate Outcome 6 on the use of financial intelligence, alongside Recommendations 29 and 40. Led by the FIUs of Azerbaijan and Gibraltar, the study identifies recurring challenges including the quality of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), resource constraints, limited use of financial intelligence by law enforcement, and delays in international cooperation. It also highlights practices linked to higher effectiveness ratings, including robust IT systems, proactive intelligence dissemination, strong inter-agency cooperation, and timely international information exchange, and sets out recommended actions such as strengthening FIU autonomy, resourcing and analytical capacity, improving STR quality and timeliness, expanding spontaneous international information sharing, and enhancing strategic analysis capabilities. The report is available for download and may be reproduced for educational or non-profit purposes with appropriate acknowledgement.
Egmont Group 2026-01-14
Egmont Group publishes Europe II horizontal analysis of FIU AML/CFT effectiveness across 23 jurisdictions
The Egmont Group's analysis of Mutual Evaluation Reports for the Europe II Regional Group highlights challenges faced by Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) in international cooperation and financial intelligence use, identifying issues like STR quality and resource constraints. The study, led by the FIUs of Azerbaijan and Gibraltar, recommends enhancing FIU autonomy, resources, and analytical capacity, improving STR quality, and expanding international information sharing.