Date of release : 10-05-2005

Policy area : Justice and Home Affairs Justice and Home Affairs

Delegations representing the European Union and the United States met on 10 May in Brussels to review cooperation on terrorism finance issues since the June 2004 US-EU summit in Dromoland, Ireland and to discuss next steps in the run-up to this year's summit, scheduled for June 20 in Washington.

The delegations, chaired by Assistant Secretary Tony Wayne of the Department of State and Deputy Political Director Georges Friden of the Luxembourg Presidency, highlighted progress since the first ad-hoc informal US-EU Troika on terrorism finance issues, a forum established last September to facilitate dialogue between representatives of all three EU pillars with counterparts from U.S. agencies. During the last six months, the two sides have:

- Jointly organized a series of workshops to enable American and European prosecutors and investigators to share experiences and best practices in building terrorism finance cases, and designation authorities to exchange ideas on implementing financial sanctions against terrorists and their supporters.

- Conducted a joint financial systems assessment mission to Tanzania at the invitation of the United States.

- Engaged in productive exchanges in a roundtable sponsored by the European Commission on regulation of non-profit organizations pursuant to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Special Recommendation VIII.

 

The delegations undertook to deepen cooperation through further implementation of the 11 terrorism finance elements of the Dromoland Declaration on Combating Terrorism.  They committed to explore a range of options between now and the 20 June U.S.-EU Summit in Washington for new and enhanced initiatives aimed at reinforcing our shared fight against terrorist financing.