The Egmont Group has published a report assessing how financial intelligence units produce and use strategic intelligence to identify money laundering and terrorist financing trends, support national risk assessments and inform policy and operational decisions. Although all responding units reported that their frameworks permit strategic analysis, only 53% operate under legislation containing a formal definition of the function. Most capabilities remain at developing or established maturity levels, while only an estimated 5% to 10% qualify as advanced. Dedicated teams exist in 81% of responding units, but their median size is five full-time employees and strategic analysis receives a median 10% of total staffing. Nearly half of analysts combine strategic and operational duties, creating a risk that urgent casework displaces longer-term analysis. Access to core transaction-reporting data is widespread, but complementary datasets, advanced analytical tools and integrated systems remain uneven. The report recommends clearer legal mandates, protected analytical capacity, formal data-sharing arrangements, stronger technology and training, and structured dissemination and impact measurement. It cautions that quantitative figures are composite estimates because not all Egmont Group members responded.
2026-09-17Egmont Group
Egmont Group identifies legal, staffing and technology gaps in financial intelligence units’ strategic intelligence capabilities
The Egmont Group found that most financial intelligence units have established strategic intelligence functions, but legal clarity, staffing, data access and technology remain uneven. It recommends explicit mandates, protected analytical teams, better data-sharing and technical infrastructure, and stronger measurement of policy and operational impact.