Banque de France and BCEAO Drive Cooperation in the Fight Against Counterfeiting

The Banque de France (BdF), in partnership with the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), organised an international seminar on 23–26 September 2025 in Paris dedicated to fighting currency counterfeiting.

Bringing together more than 40 participants from 25 countries and institutions – central banks, judicial authorities, police services, international organizations, and technical experts – the event is part of the ‘Banknotes & Cash Cycle Seminars’ series, an international program led by Banque de France to share technical expertise and promote best practices among central banks, particularly their fiduciary departments in charge of currency issuance and banknotes production.

The goal, says BdF, is to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation and encourage the sharing of experiences in order to safeguard the integrity of banknotes, at a time when it is crucial to strengthen the position of cash among all means of payment.

Among the highlights were interactive workshops fostering exchanges between central banks on key challenges and best practices across legal, law-enforcement, and regulatory areas, enriched by the insights of judicial experts and law enforcement agencies who shared their perspectives.