FIOD: International Cooperation

Publication date 07-03-2025, 8:57 | Last update 02-04-2025, 13:23

Detecting financial and fiscal crime requires international cooperation. Criminal money flows are not limited to our national borders. People committing fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes use these borders to make it difficult to trace financial money flows and unravel financial structures. In order to take effective action against these forms of crime, the FIOD contributes to strengthening the resilience of our own society and that of our foreign partners through various international partnerships. We do this at a strategic level by sharing knowledge and expertise. At an operational level, the FIOD does this by sharing information and supporting foreign investigative organisations in investigations by responding to requests for legal assistance in criminal cases.

FIOD participation in international partnerships

Europol

Europol is the European Agency that supports police organisations in preventing and combating all forms of serious organised crime and terrorism. Its primary activity is allowing the exchange of information between the police services of the member countries. From the FIOD, liaison officers work at the Dutch Desk of Europol. In addition, the FIOD participates in in any relevant Analysis Projects.

EFIPPP

In the Europol Financial Intelligence Public Private Partnership (EFIPPP), Europol, investigative services and regulated financial service providers such as banks work together. Knowledge and information in the field of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing are shared with each other. The FIOD makes various important contributions within the Threats & Typologies working group. The aim of this working group is to allow the exchange of knowledge, expertise and best practices with regard to combating financial crime threats and risks. From the FIOD, the Anti-Money Laundering Centre (AMLC) is associated with the EFIPPP.

EMPACT

The European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) sets policy priorities within organised and international crime that threaten the European Union. It aims to tackle the most important threats posed to the European Union in a clear, organised way by improving and strengthening cooperation between the relevant services of the Member States, EU institutions and EU agencies, as well as third-party countries and organisations, including the private sector where relevant. Within the policy priority Fraud, economic and financial crimes, the FIOD participates in the sub-priorities Excise Fraud, Missing Trader Intra Community (MTIC/VAT) Fraud and Criminal Finances, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery. Within the policy priority Drugs trafficking, the FIOD participates in the sub-priority of the production, trafficking and distribution of synthetic drugs and New psychoactive substances (NPS).

ENFIN

In 2017, the European Network Financial Investigations (ENFIN) was established. This network consists of 17 European countries and 23 organisations and aims to share knowledge and experiences between countries in the field of financial investigations. Sharing this knowledge and experience includes exchanging methods, training, technology, innovation, approach, etc. The FIOD has been participating in ENFIN from the start.

GlobE Network

The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) of the United Nations facilitates transnational cooperation in corruption investigations. Corruption is a complex issue that crosses national borders, making it difficult for individual countries to combat it effectively on their own. By facilitating international cooperation between practitioners on cases, and the sharing of knowledge and resources, the GlobE Network aims to strengthen the global response to corruption by enabling law enforcement authorities to detect, investigate and prosecute cross-border corruption offences. From the FIOD, the Anti-Corruption Centre (ACC) is associated with the GlobE Network.

IACCC

The International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC) brings together specialist law enforcement officers from multiple agencies around the world to tackle allegations of grand corruption. The centre focuses on providing specific operational support to external law enforcement agencies with their domestic corruption cases. The IACCC was set up by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom. The ACC is a member of the IACCC through the FIOD.

Interpol

The International Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO), better known as Interpol, is involved in supporting police organisations in preventing and combating crime. Interpol facilitates the exchange of information between the police services of the 196 member countries, including through the use of various notices (international requests for cooperation or alerts). Each member country has a National Central Bureau (NCB) that maintains communication with the Interpol headquarters in Lyon and the other NCBs. In the Netherlands, the NCB is housed in the National International Legal Assistance Centre (LIRC) of the National Police. From the FIOD, a liaison officer is connected to the LIRC for information exchange via Interpol. In addition, the FIOD is involved in the pilot project silver notice / silver diffusion. This pilot project focuses on the global tracing and confiscation of criminally obtained assets.

J5

The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) is an informal partnership that fights international tax crime and money laundering, including cryptocurrency threats and those who evade or facilitate tax evasion worldwide. In addition to the FIOD, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the American Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the British His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs – Fraud Investigation Service (HMRC-FIS) participate.

OECD

The intergovernmental Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a partnership of 38 countries. It advises governments on policies that support resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth. Through evidence-based policy analysis and recommendations, standards and global policy networks, including close collaboration with the G7 and the G20, the OECD has helped advance reforms and joint solutions to global challenges. The FIOD participates in various working groups, including the Working Group on Bribery (WGB) and the Task Force on Tax Crimes and Other Crimes (TFTC).

TATF

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing. This intergovernmental organisation sets international standards to prevent these illegal activities and the damage they cause to society. From the FIOD, the Anti Money Laundering Centre (AMLC)  is part of the Dutch delegation to the FATF.