OSCE organizes roundtable on asset recovery and management in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 13 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, in co-ordination with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized a one-day roundtable discussion on Asset Recovery and Management in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This event brought together representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Ministry of Justice, the Agencies for the Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets of Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, prosecutors, judges and law enforcement experts, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the European Union (EU), and the EU Police Assistance.

Discussions focused on the pressing need to strengthen asset recovery processes to combat transnational organized crime and corruption, examining both current challenges and opportunities for legal improvements at state and entity levels.

Emphasis was placed on enhancing financial investigations, asset seizure, and confiscation practices to break down criminal networks and deter future crimes. Insights were also shared on recent EU and international advancements in asset recovery, including the Financial Action Task Force recommendations and EU Directive 2024/1260 on asset recovery and confiscation.

This roundtable was organized as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Strengthening Asset Recovery Efforts in the OSCE Region,” funded by Austria, Germany, Italy, and the United States.

This initiative highlights OSCE’s dedication to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in strengthening cross-border co-operation, building local capacities, and advancing the region’s stability and rule of law through effective asset recovery strategies.