Press Release: Commission urges rapid action to ensure full implementation of the 2001 Framework Decision on money laundering and confiscation of the proceeds of crime

The Commission has adopted a draft report on the measures taken by the Member States to comply with the Council Framework Decision of 26 June 2001 on money laundering, the identification, tracing, freezing, seizing and confiscation of instruments and proceeds of crime. The report - transmitted to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee - includes an attachment which specifies, for each article of the Framework Decision, the implementing provisions taken by each of the Member States. The report concludes that a number of Member States still have a long way to go to ensure the rapid and complete transposition of the Framework Decision. The Commission urges them to take the remaining measures as quickly as possible and to inform it of the measures taken no later than 1 September 2004. This is one of the measures which the European Council identified in its Declaration on the fight against terrorism adopted on 25-26 March 2004.