Our work
Our thematic and programmatic tasks
Transnational organized crime and other forms of serious crime frequently result in significant financial gains, allowing criminals to amass wealth at society's expense. Asset recovery deprives criminals of the financial and material resources they acquired through illegal activities, through a cycle that begins with the identification of assets and ends with their confiscation and re-use for legitimate ends. Effective asset recovery processes ensure that crime does not pay, acting as both a deterrent and a mechanism to deliver justice for victims.
The OSCE assists its participating States by providing a platform for discussion and awareness-raising on asset recovery and its good practices across the OSCE area, assisting in enhancing applicable legal frameworks, facilitating international visits, delivering workshops and formal training events and providing specialist advice.
Recognizing that criminals often exploit poor national and cross-border co-operation to conduct their illegal activities, the OSCE also promotes stronger collaboration between law enforcement, the judiciary and administrative entities at the national level, and supports the development of contacts and partnerships between authorities across borders.
Featured
Activities, news and other highlights
Study / report
Good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE participating States
As part of the extra-budgetary project “Strengthening Asset Recovery Efforts in the OSCE Region” implemented by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the International Centre for Asset Recovery
(ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance conducted a comparative study on the asset recovery legislation in a select group of participating States of the OSCE.
News Item
Confiscated assets as tools for social good: OSCE hosts regional workshop in Almaty
How to turn confiscated criminal assets into tools for positive social and societal impact was the focus of a regional workshop in Almaty from 18 to 19 November organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities , in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.
Projects
Initiatives funded by individual states and organizations
Resources
Official OSCE documents, publications and other manually selected resources