The ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net went live yesterday (3 February 2025), providing Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and Europol with a significantly improved, state‑of‑the‑art IT solution enabling a quicker, more efficient exchange and cross‑matching of information.
The exchange of information is vital when it comes to successfully preventing and fighting serious crimes, such as money laundering, drug trafficking, corruption, human trafficking, child sexual exploitation and terrorist financing. Criminals and terrorists are adaptable and quick to use new technologies to abuse the financial system, launder their illicitly obtained assets and finance their malicious activities.
It is therefore important to ensure that competent authorities, such as the national FIUs, which are at the frontline in the fight against financial crime, have the necessary tools to be up to the challenge. These tools should allow FIUs to exchange crucial information swiftly and securely, analyse suspicious financial flows effectively and, ultimately, provide the investigative and prosecutorial authorities with useful financial intelligence.
The FIU.net system
The FIU.net system is a crucial tool in the fight against financial crime. The system became operational in 2002 as a project involving several EU FIUs and has been hosted by the European Commission since September 2021. The system is used by the FIUs of all EU Member States, the FIU of Norway, as well as Europol, the EU law enforcement cooperation agency. The primary purpose of FIU.net is to facilitate the exchange and cross‑matching of information between the above‑mentioned FIUs and with Europol.
The FIU.net system has several key functionalities
- A case file functionality enabling FIUs to exchange information on subjects and transactions (bilaterally and multilaterally)
- Cross‑border reporting (XBR) giving FIUs the possibility to swiftly distribute to counterpart FIUs suspicious transaction reports (STRs) filed by ‘obliged entities’ (entities, for instance credit or financial institutions, which play a central role as ‘gatekeepers’ in the AML/CFT framework due to their unique position that allows them to detect suspicious activities) registered in their country and providing services in other Member States
- Cross‑border disseminations (XBD) through which an FIU can disseminate to one or several counterpart FIUs selected and relevant information from an STR it has received, and which concerns other Member States
- A ‘Ma³tch’ functionality allowing FIUs to perform hit/no‑hit searches against datasets shared by other FIUs in a pseudonymous manner and establish, in real time, whether a subject is already known by another country, without the unnecessary exposure of data
The ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net
Since the beginning of 2023, the Commission has been working on a new version of the FIU.net application. The ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net project has been developed on the basis of close collaboration between the Commission and the FIU community, represented by a dedicated FIU.net Advisory Group. The new system is therefore based on business requirements set by FIUs and touching upon all features and functionalities of the FIU.net application.
The ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net that went live yesterday (3 February) offers a number of improvements
- Performance and stability: The use of the latest technology ensures an improved and swifter management, processing and transfer of information, including large datasets as well as a more stable environment
- Flexibility and interoperability: The latest state‑of‑the‑art technology enhances the flexibility and agility of the FIU.net application and improves its interoperability with FIUs’ systems
- Security: The implementation of more modern and secure connection methods guarantees a higher degree of IT security
In addition to these improvements, two new FIUs – those of Liechtenstein and Iceland – will be connected to the ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net system. The network will consequently grow to 30 FIUs (all EU FIUs, the FIUs of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Europol.
What’s next?
The new EU anti‑money laundering and combatting the financing framework (AML/CFT) regime establishes a solid legal basis for the functioning and operation of the FIU.net system, providing the legal avenues for FIUs of non‑EU countries to connect to the FIU.net system, and therefore cooperate more effectively with EU FIUs.
The new framework tasks the Anti‑Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) with the management, maintenance and development of the FIU.net system to ensure that it evolves and continues to address FIUs’ needs and provides them with the functionalities they need to carry out their tasks in an effective manner. Subject to a decision by AMLA, the FIUs of non‑EU countries may be connected to FIU.net.
The Commission will transfer the ‘Next‑Generation’ FIU.net system to AMLA by 10 July 2027.
Related links
Overview of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism
Anti‑Money Laundering Authority (AMLA)
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