As part of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) initiative for Estonia “Strengthening of Estonian Anti-Money Laundering Framework”, the Council of Europe Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (ECCD) is currently supporting the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit in its effort to improve the conduct of strategic analysis. 

As a follow-up to the advice provided on the practices and solutions for setting up a strategic analysis function, on 2 February 2023 the ECCD organised in Tallinn, Estonia, a workshop to present the technical paper “Legal Review and Recommendations for Specific Amendments to the Legal Framework related to the Strategic Analysis Function of the Estonian FIU” aiming at supplying the Estonian FIU with a roadmap for legislative amendments necessary to implement a comprehensive strategic analysis process, capable to address the major money laundering risks and challenges that Estonian authorities are facing. 

The review included advice on thirteen areas of potential legislative changes in order to enhance the Estonian legal and institutional framework (including FIU internal methodologies and processes) in relation to the strategic analysis function, and to align it with the international standards and best practice, also in the field of data protection.

The workshop gathered representatives of the Ministry of Finance and of the Estonian FIU, who have discussed with the Council of Europe experts the further application of the recommendations provided. Representatives from the EU Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) also attended the workshop. 

The activity was organised within the framework of the Technical Support Instrument project “Strengthening of Estonian anti-money laundering framework” funded by the European Commission Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.