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The Home Affairs Programme of the European Union in Kosovo (HAPE) Project, successfully concluded a two-day High-Level Workshop on Non-Conviction-Based Confiscation (NCBC). The initiative was attended by senior representatives of the Government of Kosovo, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, together with the European Union and experts from EU Member States.

The workshop featured keynote interventions on the Italian and French models, operational insights from Eurojust, and practical case studies illustrating the added value of NCBC in asset recovery and judicial cooperation from Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure of Albania, as well as, senior representatives of Kosovar institutions, the European Commission, judicial and law enforcement authorities from EU Member States.

The event was conceived as a high-level institutional forum to stimulate debate on this strategic issue, present comparative European models, and consolidate cross-border cooperation in the fight against organised crime and corruption. It aims to support Kosovo in strengthening its asset recovery system and aligning it with European standards in the fight against organised crime and corruption

In their opening remarks, Ms. Ilaria Renelli, HAPE Project Team Leader highlighted the importance of “follow the money” principle in financial investigation and asset recovery, Mr. Jarmo Feliks Helppikangas, Head of Rule of Law & Legal, Human Rights, European Union Special Representative in Kosovo, stressed the importance of asset confiscation as a cornerstone of rule-of-law reforms and a key element of Kosovo’s EU integration path. Whereas, Kosovo Acting Minister of Justice, Mr. Blerim Sallahu, underlined Kosovo’s determination to advance reforms that increase the effectiveness of confiscation mechanisms and close existing gaps in the legal framework.

The agenda featured contributions from leading European practitioners, including:

Mr. Filippo Romano, Secretary-General, Italian National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC)
Mr. Aldo Ingangi, Magistrate, Eurojust
General Vincenzo Molinese, Commander, Carabinieri Special Operations Department (ROS)
General Antonio Nicola Quintavalle Cecere, Guardia di Finanza, SCICO
Mr. Altin Dumani, Chief Prosecutor, SPAK (Albania)
Mr. Frédéric Copero, French Judicial Police

Over the course of two days, participants examined comparative approaches from Italy, France and Albania; assess Kosovo’s specific institutional and legal challenges; and identified priority steps for the introduction and operationalisation of NCBC in Kosovo.

This initiative builds on the 2024 European Commission Report on Kosovo, which called for enhanced confiscation mechanisms, particularly in high-level corruption and complex financial crime cases. By the conclusion of the workshop, Kosovo and its partners aim to reinforce inter-agency cooperation, strengthen institutional readiness, and set a roadmap for reforms in line with the EU acquis.