Project Update
Moldovan judges and prosecutors strengthen international co-operation capacities during OSCE study visit to The Hague
- Issued on:
- Issued by:
- Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, OSCE Secretariat
- Fields of work:
- Economic activities, Good governance
On 22 and 23 June, the OSCE organized a study visit to The Hague for judges and prosecutors from the National Institute of Justice of the Republic of Moldova. The activity aimed to strengthen capacities for international judicial and law enforcement co-operation in addressing financial crime, cybercrime and other forms of transnational crime, including those involving virtual assets and digital evidence. The visit comes at a time when international co-operation is becoming increasingly important for effectively investigating and prosecuting cross-border criminal activities.
Hosted by Eurojust and Europol, the study visit facilitated exchanges with experts from both agencies, as well as representatives of the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, the Dutch Police Cybercrime Unit and private-sector partners. Participants received an overview of the mandates, structures and operational tools of Eurojust and Europol and explored practical approaches to joint investigation teams, asset recovery, financial investigations, cybercrime, digital evidence and virtual asset-related investigations.
The study visit enabled practical peer-to-peer exchanges and strengthened co-operation between Moldovan judicial practitioners and their European counterparts, supporting Moldova’s ongoing efforts to enhance its capacities to investigate and prosecute increasingly complex forms of financial and cyber-enabled crime. It also provided participants with practical insights into international co-operation mechanisms and operational tools used to support cross-border investigations. Participants also had the opportunity to engage with Moldova's Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust and the Head of Moldova's National Unit at Europol. These exchanges enhanced participants' understanding of the operational roles of their respective institutions and helped establish professional contacts to support future cross-border cooperation involving Moldova.
The study visit was organized as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets,” implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, with support from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.