The second OECD multinational forum on tackling financial crime took place last week in Rome.

The Forum was set up to bring an all-of-government approach to financial crime, including corruption, tax fraud and money laundering. The Forum brings together senior policy makers from different government agencies including the tax, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption communities, as well as private sector representatives, non-government organisations and other interested stakeholders to address the key challenges in fostering greater cooperation at domestic and international levels.

On the agenda are issues such as the obstacles that impede effective inter-agency co-operation, key risk areas which may benefit from inter-agency collaboration; successful models for domestic and international co-operation, and how best international co-operation can be structured and implemented.

One of the main difficulties facing governments in tackling financial crime is reflected in an OECD publication issued in connection with the Forum. International Co-operation against Tax Crimes and Other Financial Crimes lists the main legal instruments available to governments for information exchange, anti-corruption and regulatory activities across borders. The complexity of the legal framework within which governments must operate is such that this publication runs to 278 pages!

For full details on the Forum visit the OECD website; www.oecd.org