The European Union (EU), through the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA), and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in cooperation with French authorities, namely the Agence de gestion et de recouvrement des avoirs saisis et confisqués (Agency for the Recovery and the Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets - AGRASC) and the Plateforme d’identification des avoirs criminels (Platform for the Identification of Criminal Assets - PIAC), organized a regional workshop and study mission on asset recovery and social re-use in Paris from 24 to 26 March 2026. The event brought together officials from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
Implemented under the EU-funded project “Transparency Now: Strengthening Anti-Corruption Efforts in the EU Southern Neighbourhood,” the initiative aimed to strengthen regional cooperation and enhance capacities to trace, seize, confiscate and manage illicitly acquired assets, while promoting their transparent re-use. The event also benefited from the participation of Transparency International, a co-implementing partner of the action.
Opening the event, Mr. James Shaw, Senior Legal Officer at UNICRI, Ms. Charlotte Hemmerdinger, Director of AGRASC, and Ms. Alexandra Felzines, Head of PIAC, emphasized the importance of international cooperation and practical knowledge-sharing in strengthening asset recovery efforts.
As noted by Ms. Charlotte Hemmerdinger, “The effective seizure and confiscation of criminal assets rely on close cooperation between investigators, magistrates and international partners.” Echoing this message, Ms. Alexandra Felzines stressed that “In response to this reality, our actions must be effective, swift, coordinated and grounded in mutual trust. Exchanges between magistrates from different countries, play a key role in strengthening cooperation. They contribute to enhancing mutual understanding, support operational collaboration, and build lasting relationships between institutions.”
From the perspective of Siebe Geerts, Programme Officer for Regional Security Policy at DG MENA, the programme reflects the European Union’s commitment to an inclusive and partnership-driven approach to regional security cooperation under the framework of the new Pact for the Mediterranean. He underlined the importance of integrating feedback from beneficiary partner countries to ensure that initiatives remain responsive to local needs and adapt to new crime realities. Such continuous dialogue not only strengthens ownership and mutual trust but also enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of EU-supported actions, reinforcing a shared vision of cooperation with and accountability to its strategic partners in the Common Mediterranean Space.
The workshop provided an overview of France’s legal and institutional framework for asset recovery. Ms. Sylvie Marchelli, Deputy Director of AGRASC, presented the role of the agency in supporting judicial authorities throughout the asset recovery process, from seizure to confiscation and final disposal, while ensuring the centralized management of seized assets. Through practical examples, the agency also illustrated how it supports both domestic and international cases, including by assisting partner countries in drafting mutual legal assistance requests and facilitating cooperation during procedural stages such as freezing and confiscation.
Ms. Alexandra Felzines, Head of PIAC and Mr. Olivier Jourdan, Head of PIAC’s International Cooperation Unit, presented the platform’s role in asset tracing. The PIAC facilitates the rapid exchange of information through European and international networks such as the Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN) and provides specialized expertise in identifying assets across jurisdictions, including in complex financial investigations.
The study mission also included a field visit to the Hôtel Drouot auction house, offering participants a practical perspective on the disposal of confiscated assets. Additionally, discussions led by Amélie Dréan, Deputy Head of the Real Estate Department at AGRASC, and Fabrice Rizzoli, President of the NGO Crim’HALT, highlighted France’s approach to the social re-use of confiscated assets, illustrating how recovered assets can be reinvested to serve the public interest, including through community-focused initiatives. The discussions also underscored the importance of involving civil society in the social re-use of confiscated assets.
This study mission is part of the EU’s ongoing efforts to strengthen international cooperation on crime prevention and ensure that confiscated assets are managed transparently and returned to society in ways that reinforce justice, development and the rule of law.
For more information, please see: Asset Recovery and Illicit Financial Flows | UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
