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Serbia and Montenegro Take Steps to Prevent Terrorist Financing as Part of European Union Efforts

The Regional Anti-Terrorist Network (RAN) in the Western Balkans project has been implementing a range of initiatives aimed at preventing terrorist financing in Serbia and Montenegro, among other countries in the region. This effort is part of a broader joint action plan signed by the European Commission and representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia in October 2018.

Key Objectives

The joint action plan outlines five key objectives aimed at countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism:

• Establishing a robust framework for combating terrorist financing
• Enhancing information exchange and operational cooperation between countries
• Building capacity to combat money laundering and terrorism financing
• Strengthening the protection of citizens and infrastructure
• Implementing effective prevention and countering measures against violent extremism

Bilateral Implementing Arrangements

To support these efforts, six bilateral implementing arrangements were signed with each Western Balkan partner in 2019. The RAN in the Western Balkans project is funded by the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA II) with a budget of EUR 1.55 million.

Project Goals

The project aims to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies and financial institutions in Serbia and Montenegro to prevent and combat terrorist financing.

Additional Resources

For more information on the project and the joint action plan, readers are referred to:

• Press releases issued by DG HOME and DG NEAR
• The joint action plan itself
• The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance website

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