Andorra Approves Accession to Warsaw Convention on Crime Proceeds and Terrorism Financing

The Andorran government has approved the country's accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Detection, Freezing, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, known as the Warsaw Convention.

Adopted on 3 May 2005, the convention aims to enhance cooperation among member states to identify, trace, block, seize and confiscate funds linked to organised crime and terrorism financing, both domestically and across borders. It builds on and updates the 1990 Council of Europe convention, which Andorra signed, ratified and brought into force on 1 November 1999.

This step responds to the need to update international cooperation tools for emerging criminal threats, in line with evaluations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and MONEYVAL. Accession will strengthen Andorra's regulatory framework and alignment with European and global standards on combating money laundering, corruption and terrorism financing.

The convention covers prevention of money laundering, detection, seizure and confiscation of crime proceeds, as well as investigation and criminalisation of terrorism financing offences. It sets out cooperation mechanisms, including information sharing between financial intelligence units, use of special investigation techniques and coordinated international actions.

Andorra's criminal code already criminalises money laundering and terrorism financing. Ongoing reforms to the code, under debate in the Consell General, include proposals from the Ministry of Justice and Interior to introduce corporate criminal liability for certain offences, further aligning with the convention's requirements.

Implementation will require internal mechanisms for managing seized or confiscated assets, including potential return to legitimate owners as per the convention's provisions. The Ministry of Justice will handle international cooperation requests, with the Andorran Financial Intelligence Unit (UIFAND) serving as the financial intelligence contact.

The accession now requires approval from the Consell General, given its implications for internal security, judicial cooperation and necessary legislative measures.