Background
The constitutional document of the APG is its “Terms of Reference,” adopted unanimously by all members in 1997. That document provides that the APG is voluntary and co-operative in nature. The APG's mandate is fixed by inter-governmental Ministerial agreement until 2012 to mirror the current mandate of the Financial Action Task Force.
The APG is required to keep itself informed of action taken or formal agreements made by relevant international and regional organisations or bodies in order to promote a consistent global response to money laundering and terrorist financing.
Membership
Membership in the APG is open to any jurisdiction within the Asia/Pacific region which:
- Recognises the need for action to be taken to combat money laundering and terrorist financing;
- Recognises the benefits to be obtained by sharing knowledge and experience;
- Has taken or is actively taking steps to develop, pass and implement anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing legislation and other measures based on accepted international standards;
- Subject to its domestic laws, commits itself to implementing the decisions made by the APG;
- Commits itself to participation in the mutual evaluation programme; and
- Contributes to the APG budget in accordance with arrangements agreed by the APG.
It is not a precondition for membership in the APG that anti-money laundering and/or anti-terrorist financing laws be enacted at the time of admission. However, most countries who join do have such laws in place and those that do not are required, as a membership obligation, to enact them very shortly after admission.
The APG welcomes new members from the Asia/Pacific region, although as of 2007 most countries and jurisdictions within the region were members.
Copies of the Revised Terms of Reference (as amended at the Ninth APG Annual Meeting, 2006) and the APG Explanatory Note on Membership are available via the Documents section of this website.