The project coordinator, supported by the other partners, organised the final conference of the project on 25th October, within the premises of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The theme of the event was the role of legal professions in EU AML/CFT. Besides the representatives of the project partners, many speakers, from many different backgrounds, presented their views during the afternoon.
Many were representatives of the European institutions, from the EESC to the Commission, while many came from European-level associations representing lawyers and notaries. It is worth mentioning Mr. Salazar Romero, from the Unit on financial crime of DG FISMA of the European Commission, who explained the legislative work going on in the field of AML/CFT.
Also, many raised criticisms on the proposed AML/CFT package. Mr. Doz Orrit, EESC rapporteur on the said package, said it’s a step in the right direction, but it is insufficient. On the contrary, Mr. Cocuzza from the CCBE expressed the worry that the new law might put at risk some core values of lawyers, such as their independence and the access to justice.
His notarial counterpart, Mr. Gomá Lanzón from CNUE, stressed that the new package poses an enormous challenge to legal professions, and that a great deal of collective effort is required. In this regard, he mentions the Spanish model as a best practice. Here, notaries receive remarkable support by the Centralised Prevention Body of the Council of Notaries. Then, a panel of experts from different countries tackled different topics, from the main challenges to the possible solutions for an effective implementation of AML/CFT policy.
After a presentation on the project and its results, Ms. Cretin-Magand from the European Commission (Unit on general criminal law and judicial training, DG JUST) delivered the conclusions, highlighting the need for well-trained legal professions to support the Commission in the correct implementation of EU law.