LEGAL BASIS FOR THE RETURN OF ILLEGALLY ISSUED ASSETS TO THE STATE: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE EU AND THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The authors consider the legal aspects of the return of illegally withdrawn assets to the state in some regional international organizations. The article is devoted to the analysis of the international experience of the return of illegally withdrawn assets with an emphasis on its possible borrowing into the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The relevance of the topic is due to the need to improve Kazakhstan's anti-corruption policy, especially after the adoption of the Law “On the return of illegally acquired assets to the state” dated July 12, 2023, as well as the global challenge of transnational crime. The authors analyze the legal and institutional approaches developed by the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe (CoE), including mechanisms for confiscation and international cooperation. The novelty of the study lies in a detailed legal analysis of the internal legal acts of the EU and international treaties adopted within the framework of the Council of Europe regulating asset recovery activities. The results highlight the importance of specialized structures and harmonization of procedures to accelerate cross-border cooperation. The main conclusion is that the introduction of EU and CoE mechanisms will allow Kazakhstan to minimize the risks of asset loss, strengthen law enforcement and comply with international standards.

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