The Council of the EU has published a cover note to which a letter is attached from Commissioner Vera Jourova, to the Presidency of the Council of the EU, concerning the assessment of high-risk third countries under the Fourth Money Laundering Directive (4MLD).

The annex to the letter contains a roadmap entitled Towards a new methodology for the EU assessment of High Risk Third Countries under 4MLD. The roadmap has been prepared following the European Parliament’s resolution objecting to the Commission Delegated Regulation of 24 March 2017 relating to high risk third countries on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing.

In the letter, Commissioner Jourova states that she is committed to delivering a new approach for identifying high risk third countries by following a staged approach, focussing on priority third countries first. Priority countries will be chosen on the basis of their financial importance for the EU and their exposure to risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. The list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions to be issued by the European Commission at the end of the year will also be taken into account.

View European Commission roadmap towards new methodology for EU assessment of high-risk third countries under 4MLD, 11 July 2017