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Egmont Group

Definition

An international network of 166 financial intelligence units (FIUs) that share financial intelligence through a secure system. FIUs are the operational channel for intelligence sharing in asset-recovery cases, distinct from the formal MLAT process.

Member units
166 national Financial Intelligence Units
Core function
Intelligence sharing on money laundering and terrorism financing
Operating principle
Reciprocity and confidentiality

Common questions

What is the Egmont Group and what does it do?+

The Egmont Group is a network of 166 national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) that share financial intelligence on money laundering and terrorism financing. They operate through secure channels and use principles of reciprocity and confidentiality to help member nations track suspicious financial activity across borders.

How does the Egmont Group differ from formal mutual legal assistance treaties (MLATs)?+

While MLATs are the formal legal framework for international assistance in criminal cases, FIUs in the Egmont Group operate as an operational intelligence-sharing channel. This means they can exchange financial intelligence more directly and flexibly for asset recovery and financial crime investigations.

Who can access Egmont Group intelligence?+

Member FIUs access Egmont Group intelligence through secure systems. Since FIUs are the operational channel for intelligence sharing in asset-recovery cases, access is limited to these national units and follows strict confidentiality protocols.

Related terms

40 Recommendations
FATF's core normative standards, covering customer due diligence, suspicious transaction reporting, beneficial ownership, targeted financial sanctions, and international cooperation. Last substantially revised...
Civil forfeiture
A legal mechanism, particularly used in the United States and United Kingdom, that allows courts to order the forfeiture of assets that...
Confiscation order
A court order transferring legal title to specified property from the defendant to the state or (in civil forfeiture) from unnamed property...
Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs)
Non-bank sectors required under FATF standards to apply AML controls, including real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, trust and company service providers, and...
FATF
The Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental body founded in 1989 by the G7 that sets global standards for anti-money laundering and...
Grey list
The FATF Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring list, identifying countries with strategic deficiencies that have committed to a remediation action plan. Inclusion increases...
MLAT (mutual legal assistance treaty)
A formal bilateral or multilateral agreement under which signatory countries cooperate in criminal investigations and proceedings, including by producing evidence, freezing accounts,...
Mutual evaluation
A peer review of a country's AML and CTF system by a team of experts from other FATF members, assessing both technical...
StAR initiative
The Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, a joint World Bank and UNODC programme launched in 2007 that assists developing countries in recovering stolen...
UNCAC
The United Nations Convention Against Corruption, adopted in 2003. Chapter V establishes the first binding international framework for asset recovery, requiring signatories...

Explained in these topics

  • The FATF Framework and Global AML StandardsA network of 166 national Financial Intelligence Units that share financial intelligence on money laundering and terrorism financing through secure channels, o...
  • International Asset RecoveryAn international network of 166 financial intelligence units (FIUs) that share financial intelligence through a secure system. FIUs are the operational channel...

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