Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission
7.2.2020
Under the directive 2015/849[1] (Anti-Money Laundering Directive), as amended by Directive 2018/843[2], the Commission is mandated to identify third countries having strategic deficiencies in their regime on anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing.
Following the rejection by the Council of the Commission Delegated Regulation of 13 February 2019[3], which identified such third countries, the Commission is working actively to reconcile expectations from both the Council and the European Parliament.
In the meantime, the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675[4] — as subsequently amended — remains in force. The Commission intends to update this Delegated Regulation in due course in order to take into account the latest information from international organisations, notably the most recent lists issued by the Financial Action Task Force. In updating the Delegated Regulation, the Commission will use the criteria set in Article 9 of the Anti-Money Laundering Directive.
The Commission welcomes efforts undertaken by Ethiopia, Tunisia and Sri Lanka in implementing comprehensive action plans developed with the Financial Action Task Force. For the next update of the Delegated Regulation, the Commission will assess the progress made by those countries.
- [1] Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (OJ L 141, 5.6.2015, p. 73).
- [2] Directive (EU) 2018/843 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive (EU) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing, and amending Directives 2009/138/EC and 2013/36/EUPE/72/2017/REV/1 (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 43).
- [3] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) …/… of 13 February 2019 supplementing Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council by identifying high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies, C(2019) 1326.
- [4] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675 of 14 July 2016 supplementing Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council by identifying high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies, C (2016) 4180 (OJ L 254, 20.9.2016, p. 1).