Following the rejection by the Council of the European Union (“the Council”) on 07 March 2019 of a draft list of 23 high-risk countries, as proposed in February 2019 by the European Commission in accordance with Article 9 of Directive (EU) 2018/843 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes … Continue Reading
On 20 May 2019, the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister) published the Decree implementing the registration of ultimate beneficial owners of companies and other legal entities (Implementatiebesluit registratie uiteindelijk belanghebbenden van vennootschappen en andere juridische entiteiten, the Implementation Decree) for public consultation. The Implementation Decree contains further detail on the ultimate beneficial owner register … Continue Reading
On 14 May 2019, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/758 of 31 January 2019 supplementing Directive (EU) 2015/849 with regard to regulatory technical standards for the minimum action and the type of additional measures credit and financial institutions must take to mitigate money laundering and terrorist … Continue Reading
In its press release of 30 April 2019, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) emphasises that financial institutions are required to take measures to identify and assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks in accordance with the recently revised Act on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing (Wet ter voorkoming van … Continue Reading
On 8 April 2019, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published its April report to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. The report sets out the FATF’s ongoing work to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. Key points raised by the FATF include: virtual assets pose serious money laundering and terrorist financing risks … Continue Reading
On 4 April 2019, the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister) submitted a legislative proposal for the introduction of an ultimate beneficial owner register (the UBO Register) in the Netherlands (the Proposal) to the Dutch Parliament. The Minister also, among other things, submitted the explanatory notes to the Proposal, as well as the advice from … Continue Reading
On 13 February 2019, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation supplementing the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (MLD4) by identifying high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies. The Delegated Regulation identifies 23 high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies in their safeguarding against money laundering and terrorist financing. The countries are listed in an annex to the … Continue Reading
On 31 January 2019, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation supplementing the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (MLD4) with regard to regulatory technical standards (RTS) for the minimum action and the type of additional measures credit and financial institutions must take to mitigate money laundering and terrorist financing risk in certain third countries. The RTS … Continue Reading
On 23 January 2019, the Council of the EU published a press release of its meeting of 22 January 2019 on economic and financial affairs. The first item of discussion listed in the press release is the European system of financial supervision (ESFS). The EU Presidency has proposed to prioritise the provisions relating to the … Continue Reading
On 18 January 2019, the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister) sent a letter to the Dutch Parliament (Tweede Kamer) addressing the joint recommendation made by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) on on a regulatory framework for cryptos (commonly known … Continue Reading
On 10 January 2019, the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG) published a webpage noting that certain amendments to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017 came into effect on 10 January 2019. These amendments have resulted in minor changes to the JMLSG guidance in Part I paragraphs … Continue Reading
On 27 December 2018, there was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) Council Decision (EU) 2018/2059 of 29 November 2018 on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning the amendment of Annex IX (Financial Services) to the EEA Agreement. Annex IX … Continue Reading
On 17 December 2018, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, AFM) published a news item on the outcome of its periodical investigation into investment firms and their compliance with the Act on the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism (Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financiering van terrorisme, Wwft) … Continue Reading
On 11 December 2018, the Act amending the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (Implementatiewet wijziging vierde anti-witwasrichtlijn, the Act) was published for public consultation. The Act will implement the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (EU/2018/843) (5MLD) into Dutch law, primarily by amending the Act on the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism (Wet ter voorkoming … Continue Reading
On 12 September 2018, we blogged that the European Commission had published an amended proposal on the amendment of the three Regulations founding the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs). The amendments seek to centralise the tasks relating to the prevention and combatting of money-laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CTF) into the European Banking Authority (EBA). The amended … Continue Reading
On 4 December 2018, the Council of the EU published a document containing the outcome of proceedings with regards the anti-money laundering (AML) action plan. In the context of money laundering, the Council: urges the swift implementation in Member States of the fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive and invites the transposition of the fifth Anti-Money Laundering … Continue Reading
On 12 November 2018, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ) Directive (EU) 2018/1673 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on combating money laundering by criminal law. The Directive provides a harmonised list of 22 predicate offences, which include cybercrime, aiding and abetting, inciting and … Continue Reading
On 8 November 2018, the Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities published a consultation paper on draft guidelines on cooperation and information exchange for the purposes of the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (4MLD) between competent authorities supervising credit and financial institutions. The draft guidelines set out the rules that govern the establishment and operation … Continue Reading
On 14 October 2018, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published its annual report 2017-18. Among other things the annual report notes that during the year the FATF: completed its two-year terrorist financing operational plan and adopted a new plan to continue its focus on the evolving threat; revised its standards to respond to the … Continue Reading
On 25 October 2018, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the final version of their guidance for a risk-based approach (RBA) for the securities sector (the Guidance). The RBA is key for businesses to understand the money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) risks to which they are exposed; the Guidance offers specific advice for … Continue Reading
On 18 September 2018, the Council of the EU published the minutes of its meeting on general affairs (the Minutes). On page 13 of the Minutes, the Council provides a non-objection to the Commission Delegated Regulation adding Pakistan to the list of high-risk third countries under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (the Delegated Regulation). The … Continue Reading
On 12 September 2018, the European Parliament adopted its first reading positions on two measures to counter money laundering within the EU: Regulation (EU) 2018/… of the European Parliament and of the Council on controls on cash entering or leaving the Union and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1889/2005 (the Regulation). Directive (EU) 2018/… of the European … Continue Reading
On 12 September 2018, the European Commission published a communication: Strengthening the Union framework for prudential and anti-money laundering (AML) supervision for financial institutions (the Communication). The Commission is concerned that gaps remain in the Union’s AML supervisory framework. In particular, concerns have arisen that there is no clear articulation between the prudential and AML … Continue Reading
On 12 September 2018, the European Commission published an amended proposal on the amendment of the three regulations founding the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs). The amendments proposed aim to centralise the tasks relating to the prevention and combatting of money-laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CTF) into the European Banking Authority (EBA). The amended proposal extends the … Continue Reading
