The Third Steering Committee meeting of the EU/Council of Europe Horizontal Facility III Action against Economic Crime in Montenegro, co-chaired by representatives of the Council of Europe’s Economic Crime and Cooperation Division and Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro took place on 4 July 2024 in Podgorica, Montenegro. The meeting brought together representatives from all key beneficiary institutions across the executive, judicial and legislative branches. The focus of the meeting was to review the Action's implementation and achievements over the past six months and to strategize future activities.

The Action received highly positive feedback from various beneficiaries, who expressed particular satisfaction with the assistance provided, especially regarding legislation crucial to Montenegro's goal of achieving a positive Interim Benchmark Assessment Report (IBAR) in the EU Accession Process. Mr. Momo Koprivica, Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Judiciary, and Anti-Corruption of the Government of Montenegro, highlighted the vital role played by experts, the Council of Europe's bodies, and the program office in Podgorica in this process.

The Steering Committee also considered proposals for introducing new activities, with particular emphasis on supporting the implementation of recommendations from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). The MONEYVAL report, as part of the 5th round mutual evaluation of Montenegro, will guide future actions, helping to prioritize cooperation areas and refine key activities.

The activity was organised by the Action against economic crime in Montenegro, within the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.