EBA: ESAs publish AML/CFT guidelines

26 June 2017

The Guidelines promote a common understanding of the risk-based approach to AML/CFT and set out how it should be applied. These Guidelines are part of the ESAs' wider work on fostering a consistent and effective approach to AML/CFT by both, credit and financial institutions, and AML/CFT supervisors.

The Guidelines on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) provide credit and financial institutions with the tools they need to make informed, risk-based decisions on the effective management of individual business relationships and occasional transactions for AML/CFT purposes.

They provide guidance on the factors credit and financial institutions should consider when assessing the ML/TF risk associated with a business relationship or occasional transaction. In addition, they set out how credit and financial institutions can adjust the extent of their customer due diligence measures to mitigate  the ML/TF risk they have identified. 

Competent authorities will use these Guidelines when assessing whether the ML/TF risk assessment and management systems and controls of EU credit and financial institutions are adequate. These Guidelines are essential to the European Union's fight against ML/TF.

They set clear, regulatory expectations of the way credit and financial institutions should discharge important AML/CFT obligations and pave the way for a more effective and proportionate European AML/CFT regime that is consistent with international best practice and guidance.

Press release

Final guidelines


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