FATF Asset Recovery Standards (Recommendations 4 and 38 and Immediate Outcome 8): Preparing for Mutual Evaluation

Course overview

In FATF and regional body mutual evaluations, confiscation is one of the areas where African countries most often receive low ratings. The problem is rarely the absence of laws; it is the difficulty of showing that the system works in practice. This FATF confiscation standards training helps national coordinators and agencies understand what assessors look for and prepare convincing evidence.

Participants study the requirements of Recommendation 4 on confiscation and provisional measures and Recommendation 38 on international cooperation for freezing and confiscation, including the strengthened standards adopted in recent years. They then examine how effectiveness on confiscation is assessed: policy priority, use of financial investigation, results across offence types, foreign proceeds, cross-border cash and the management of assets. Practical sessions cover gap analysis, building case examples and statistics, drafting responses to assessors and preparing for on-site interviews. Lessons are drawn from published evaluations of ESAAMLG and other regional members.

Participants leave able to assess their country's position against the confiscation standards and to prepare strong evidence for evaluation.

What you will be able to do

• Explain the requirements of Recommendations 4 and 38
• Describe how assessors judge the effectiveness of confiscation
• Carry out a gap analysis against the standards
• Assemble statistics and case examples that demonstrate results
• Draft clear responses to assessor questionnaires
• Prepare officials for on-site assessment interviews

Who should attend

For national AML/CFT coordinators and the agencies that will be assessed on confiscation in a mutual evaluation or follow-up.

• National AML/CFT coordination committee members
• FIU staff
• Prosecutors
• Asset recovery agency officers
• Ministry of justice and finance officials
• Customs and revenue officials
• Police financial investigation units

Course outline

Fees are per participant in US dollars and cover tuition, course materials and your certificate. Travel and accommodation are not included.