Third OSCE regional workshop on social re-use of confiscated assets held in Vienna

On 23 and 24 March, the OSCE facilitated the third gathering for representatives of asset management agencies and civil society from South-Eastern Europe to discuss the progress on establishing procedures for the re-use of confiscated criminal assets for social purposes.

Re-using assets confiscated from organized crime and corruption to prevent crime prevention, recompense victims and contribute to the good of the general is a practice that is gaining in importance in many participating States. Event participants benefited from the experience in the European Union, as representatives from the French Asset Recovery and Asset Management Office and the Romanian National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets presented their countries’ path in regulating re-use mechanisms and related good practices. 

During the second day of the workshop, participants worked in groups to discuss feasible action points that would allow them to enhance the joint efforts in re-using criminal assets in a transparent and regulated manner.

The OSCE’ Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities have been supporting participating States in South-Eastern Europe in making use of asset recovery provisions as a response to the threats posed by organized crime and corruption through an extra-budgetary project implemented since early 2020. The project also advocates for the inclusion of civil society organizations in this process and supports their collaboration with government institutions, especially in the re-use phase. More information about the project is to be found under this link.

This event concluded the first phase of this extra-budgetary project.The OSCE will continue supporting participating States by enhancing asset recovery efforts through Phase II , from 2022 to 2025, with the financial support of Germany and the United States of America.