The EPAC/EACN Annual Professional Conference and General Assembly, held in Chisinau on November 23-24, ended with a Declaration signed by the EPAC/EACN President, Žydrūnas BARTKUS, and National Anti-Corruption Centre Director, Iulian Rusu. The document provides a series of recommendations for the legal institutions of the countries participating in the Conference and also establishes the mode of cooperation between them.

According to the Declaration, corruption must be treated as a significant risk for prosperity, stability and national security, the phenomenon having a transnational character, which must be combated with consolidated efforts. Therefore, understanding the cross-border dimension of the crime of corruption, states must provide mutual support and have the widest cooperation in the process of recovering criminal assets.

The resolution provides for the harmonization of the national legal framework, in the case of non-EU states, with the legislation of the European Union in areas related to the fight against and prevention of corruption, the protection of whistleblowers, the recovery of assets and in other relevant areas. Among the recommendations is the need to develop an effective institutional framework for identifying, freezing and confiscating assets resulting from corruption crimes, as well as for the effective management of confiscated assets.

The document also provides recommendations regarding the operational exchange of data, practices and expertise within the international community to improve the processes of countering corruption crimes. To this end, countries will commit to promoting greater cooperation between public law enforcement entities, as well as between private and non-governmental organizations through the collection, management and exchange of information, skills and best practices, in partnership with interested international institutions, to ensure effective prevention of corruption and combating it.

The document also refers to international cooperation mechanisms, noting the strengthening of international cooperation and information exchange by using already existing tools, such as the Europol Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA), the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE), the Europol Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC), the EPAC/EACN Contact Catalogue and the EPAC/EACN Newsletter. In the same context, it is recommended to improve the cooperation with the European Prosecutors Office (EPPO) in criminal proceedings within the mandate of the EPPO, including mutual legal assistance as appropriate for the identification, freezing and confiscation of assets.

The Declaration will be widely circulated by the members in their respective countries and
submitted to relevant EU institutions and bodies, the Council of Europe's GRECO, the OECD WGB, and UNODC.