The EU High Level Advisers’ Mission, together with the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) organised a seminar dedicated to the prevention and combating of money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT). The event, which brought together NBM staff, was a platform for dialogue and exchange of experience essential in this area.

Opening the event, the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, Anca Dragu, stressed the importance of supervision in the area of preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing, considering the process of accession to the European Union, but also the objectives of the NBM regarding the need to boost economic transactions for economic growth:

"The European Union places particular emphasis on combating money laundering to protect the integrity of its financial system. Strict compliance with these regulations is essential for Moldova's accession process and economic prospects", Anca Dragu stressed.

During the seminar, the EU High Adviser on Financial Services, Nicolae Grigore, presented the best practices of central banks in assessing anti-money laundering risks. He addressed the key aspects of assessing money laundering and terrorist financing risks, highlighting both the importance of using a risk-based approach and the need for an on-going assessment of the AML risk profile of entities supervised by the central bank.

Another topic of discussion was the procedure for establishing sanctions and supervision measures to ensure their consistency and effectiveness. Thus, the principles for establishing supervisory measures and administrative sanctions, the method for determining the amount of the administrative sanction of the fine in the field of preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing, respectively the relevant circumstances of the offence, were highlighted, taking into account the need to ensure efficient, proportionate and dissuasive nature of the sanctions applied.

The seminar provided a valuable opportunity for the exchange of best practices and support for the improvement of supervisory and regulatory policies and practices in the field of preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing, highlighting the importance of dialogue and cooperation between experts and relevant institutions in this area.