The European Commission has today updated its list of high-risk third-country jurisdictions presenting strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes. Third-country jurisdictions were added to the list: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gibraltar, Mozambique, Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates, while other jurisdictions were delisted: Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
This list takes into account the information from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the changes over 2022 in the FATF list of “Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring”. The Commission is closely involved in the monitoring of the progress of the listed jurisdictions and working closely with them to address shortcomings in AML/CFT and to help them to fully implement their respective action plans as agreed with the FATF. European financial institutions and other “obliged entities” are required to apply enhanced vigilance in transactions involving high-risk third-country jurisdictions
Mairead McGuinness, Commissioner for financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union said: “It is necessary to continue to identify and list high-risk third-country jurisdictions presenting strategic deficiencies in their national anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks with the view to work closely with them to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing risks. This will help the concerned countries in their efforts and protect the EU financial system and the proper functioning of our single market.”
Article 9 of Directive (EU) 2015/849 – the 4th Anti-money Laundering Directive (4AMLD)– mandates the Commission to regularly update the list of high-risk third-country jurisdictions. This update takes the legal form of a delegated regulation, which will enter into force, unless the European Parliament or the Council object to it over a period of one month (which can be prolonged for another month).
