Corruption remains a serious challenge for Kosovo. According to a number of surveys conducted by national and international organisations, control of corruption has proved to be scarce. In the field of money laundering and terrorism financing, there is a need for continuous legislative and organisational reforms to bring Kosovo in line with European and international standards. The joint EU/CoE Project against Economic Crime (PECK I) implemented during 2012-2015 for the first time in Kosovo introduced and structured assessments of the Anti-corruption (AC) and Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks and measures vis-à-vis relevant international and European standards. However, there is a need to continue to support Kosovo institutions in carrying out comprehensive assessments and moreover provide assistance in implementing specific recommendations from the previous assessment cycles conducted within PECK I. 

In view of this PECK II will:

• build on the results and lessons learned from PECK I and aims to support reforms tailored to prevent and combat economic crime; 
• assist Kosovo authorities with the implementation of specific recommendations issued within PECK I; 
• carry out a second phased assessment of AC and AML/CFT frameworks vis-à-vis evolving international and European standards. 

As a result an IPA 2014 Contribution Agreement as a Joint Programme was signed in December 2015 between the Council of Europe and the European Union Office in Pristina. The PECK II Project started on 1 January 2016, with a duration of 36 months and a budget of 2,225,000 Euro (EU funds: 89.89% and CoE funds: 10.11%). 

The Project’s overall objective is to contribute to the democracy and the rule of law through the prevention and control of corruption; money laundering; and the financing of terrorism in Kosovo. The Project’s purpose is to strengthen institutional capacities to counter corruption; money laundering; and financing of terrorism in Kosovo in accordance with European standards through targeted technical assistance and assessments for improving and streamlining economic crime reforms. The Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency (KAA) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are the main counterpart institutions for this Project.

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*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.}