RESEARCH

The CEIFAC uses three approaches to gathering relevant data and extending and disseminating research in this area

• Five multilingual and multidisciplinary PhD studentships in law, the first to be concerned with financial investigations in the EU, their technical and legal aspects and the new problems they pose. Researchers and trainees have access to a reference library.
• The GRASCO journal, a scientific journal which explores cross-cutting themes on the prevention and punishment of organised and/or financial crime. 
• The University Degree (DU) “Criminal financial investigations at European level”, awarded by Strasbourg University, which enables European practitioners working for the law-enforcement and judicial authorities of EU member states to contribute to the general body of knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure by means of dissertations based directly on their recent professional experience. The CEIFAC draws on their findings and recommendations when making proposals

TRAINING

CEIFAC means European College of Financial Investigations and Criminal Financial Analysis. The CEIFAC offers training in financial investigation techniques and financial criminal analysis for law-enforcement and judicial officials in EU member states to help them conduct such investigations.

Target group

The training is aimed at legal and law enforcement practitioners – 30 per session – to enable them to cascade the knowledge and skills acquired to their colleagues in the relevant member state departments. The main feature of the training is that it enables practitioners, participants and speakers to pass on their prior knowledge and experience.

Purpose

The training is intended to strengthen capacity to conduct financial investigations as defined by the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) and the European Union, as part of European police co-operation. Participants learn how to carry out criminal financial analyses to assist financial investigations. It enables representatives of all areas of law-enforcement – police/gendarmerie, customs officers, prosecutors and judges from all parts of the EU and candidate countries – to share their experience, creates links and helps to establish an informal network of lawenforcement  and judicial authorities, thus facilitating judicial and police co-operation. 

Organisation

The training is divided into two parts :

• E-learning (280 hours): to ensure that before attending the classroom sessions participants all have the required level of basic knowledge of European legislation on combating organised crime and financial fraud. There are also a number of training modules on accounting and the legal and financial environment of business enterprises, as well as information and communication techniques.
• Classroom-based training (77 hours): enables participants to conduct financial investigations using case studies based on actual experience. Groups will each be made up of representatives of law-enforcement services (police/gendarmerie and customs officers) and courts (public prosecutors and judges) from across the EU. 

Date and Place 

The classroom-based training takes place in Strasbourg and comprises two annual twelve-day sessions, in April and October.

Registration

The training course is reserved for practitioners working for the law-enforcement and judicial authorities of EU member states.