The institutional framework governing the operations of the Service for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering (SPCSB) has been brought into line with European standards by establishing the status of financial intelligence officers, introducing periodic and mandatory professional certification, and streamlining the management structure. The Moldovan Parliament voted in favor of a bill providing for these changes during its second reading.
The most significant structural reform is the establishment of the status of financial intelligence officer in accordance with international standards in this field. The new charter regulates the duties, professional safeguards, rights, and obligations of SPCSB’s specialized staff.
The draft law, developed by the Ministry of Justice, introduces mandatory professional certification for employees of institutions and companies subject to reporting obligations in the areas of preventing and combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The law defines this professional training certificate, establishes the conditions for obtaining it, and provides for periodic renewal at least once every three years.
Currently, national legislation regulates training in this area but does not provide for a mechanism for periodic professional certification. The SPCSB will be granted the legal authority to organize these training sessions, develop instructional materials, and coordinate the national training platform, thereby becoming the institutional hub for professional training in this field.
The draft also provides for reducing the number of SPCSB deputy directors to one. This adjustment is aimed at optimizing the decision-making process and enhancing managerial accountability, as well as bringing the Service’s internal organization into line with the requirements of the Egmont Group — an international network of financial intelligence units from more than 160 countries, of which the SPCSB is also a member.
