The U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation published the customer due diligence and beneficial ownership examination sections of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council BSA/AML Examination Manual.

Read more.

Following a consultation late last year, the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructure has published the final strategy for reducing the risk of wholesale payments fraud related to endpoint security. The strategy is directed to all relevant public and private sector stakeholders in reducing the risk of wholesale payments fraud, including the operators of wholesale payments systems and messaging networks, their participants and relevant regulators and authorities responsible for supervising these operators and participants.

The strategy comprises seven elements that are intended to work holistically for preventing, detecting, responding to and communicating about wholesale payments fraud. The elements are:

1. Identifying and understanding the range of risks;
2. Establishing endpoint security requirements;
3. Promoting adherence;
4. Providing and using information and tools to improve prevention and detection;
5. Responding in a timely way to potential fraud;
6. Supporting ongoing education, awareness and information-sharing; and
7. Learning, evolving and coordinating.

The CPMI and each of its member central banks have committed to promoting the effective operationalization of the strategy within and across jurisdictions and systems. They will be monitoring progress in 2018 and 2019 with a view to assessing whether further action is needed.

View the strategy.

The European Commission has adopted a draft delegated regulation under the Fourth Money Laundering Directive. The draft regulation sets out Regulatory Technical Standards on the criteria that EU Member States should use when deciding whether or not payment service providers or electronic money institutions that are headquartered in another EEA Member State and that operate establishments (other than a branch) in their territory should appoint a central contact point for compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing obligations. The draft regulation also sets out RTS on the functions that may be entrusted to such a central contact point.

The draft regulation will now be subject to a three-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Following this period, should neither of the co-legislators object, the draft regulation will then be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and enter into force twenty days later. Once in force, the delegated regulation will have direct effect across the EU.

View the draft delegated regulation.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority published amendments to FINRA Rule 3310, the anti-money laundering compliance program rule.  The FINRA amendments seek to harmonize Rule 3310 with the Customer Due Diligence Requirements for Financial Institutions rule issued by the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network on May 11, 2016.  Amended Rule 3310 requires firms to conduct ongoing customer due diligence, establish procedures to understand the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile, conduct ongoing monitoring to identify and report suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, maintain and update customer information, including information regarding the beneficial ownership of legal entity customers.  Amended Rule 3310 becomes effective on May 11, 2018, which coincides with the compliance date for FinCEN’s CDD Rule.

View full text of Regulatory Notice 18-19.

The Financial Action Task Force held its annual private sector consultative forum in Vienna on April 23 – 24, 2018. The annual forum provides a platform for the FATF to learn more about the private sector's views and concerns on issues related to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. Attendees at the forum included representatives from the financial sector and other businesses and professions subject to AML/CTF obligations.

Read more.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a "Dear CEO" letter to the Chief Executive Officers of U.K. listed companies on capital instruments expressed to be perpetual, irredeemable or in some other way that suggests permanence. The FCA wishes to ensure that investors have access to all the information necessary for them to be able to assess properly the risks and rewards attaching to such shares. The letter lists the information that listed companies may wish to make readily accessible to all holders and potential holders of such shares, including:

• the terms and conditions of the instrument as included in the original prospectus or similar document issued at the time of the offer or admission of the shares, and details of any changes made after the issue of the shares;
• the articles of association of the issuer, particularly the articles relevant to the shares concerned; and
• a Q&A or similar publication.

Read more.

The European Commission has published a proposal for a directive aimed at increasing security within EU member states and across the EU by improving access to financial information, including bank account information, to the relevant authorities and bodies in charge for the prevention, investigation and prosecution of serious forms of crimes. It is envisaged that this will enhance their ability to conduct financial investigations and analysis and improve their cooperation. In addition, the proposal contains measures to improve the ability of Financial Intelligence Units to carry out their tasks under the 4th Money Laundering Directive.

Currently, most EU national authorities competent for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences do not have direct access to information on the identity of bank account holders held in centralized account registries or data retrieval systems. Indeed, such registries and systems are currently only operational in 15 EU member states and the relevant authorities only have direct access in 6 of those member states. This lack of, or lack of access to, centralized information means the relevant authorities must send blanket information requests to all financial institutions. Delays in replies to these blanket requests can significantly hamper criminal investigations.

Read more.

The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released answers to 37 frequently asked questions regarding its final rule on Customer Due Diligence Requirements for Financial Institutions, which was published in the Federal Register on May 11, 2016 and amended on September 29, 2017.  This is the second series of FAQs FinCEN has released.  The FAQs cover various topics in connection with the requirement that financial institutions obtain beneficial ownership information for legal entity customers, including the beneficial ownership threshold and its interaction with other AML program obligations, collection and verification of identifying information, particularly for legal entity customers with complex ownership structures and the definition of “legal entity customer,” including the treatment of foreign financial institutions.  The FAQs also provide guidance regarding the beneficial ownership certification requirement, including when a single customer opens multiple accounts and in respect of product or service renewals, obligations to update beneficial ownership information and requirements to understand the nature and purpose of the customer relationship.

View FinCEN FAQs.

The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on adding a proposed chapter on insider dealing and market manipulation to its Financial Crime Guide. The Financial Crime Guide is not part of the FCA's rules but it is a guide to assist firms in implementing the regulator's rules. A firm that does not comply with the Guide is not necessarily deemed by the FCA to be in breach of the rules. However, the FCA expects firms to use the guide to inform their financial crime systems and controls.

The FCA is proposing to add a new chapter on insider dealing and market manipulation to the Financial Crime Guide. The EU Market Abuse Regulation, which applies directly across the EU, requires firms arranging or executing transactions to establish and maintain effective arrangements, systems and controls to detect and report suspicious transactions. The FCA emphasizes that the U.K. rules extend these obligations under MAR and require firms to also counter the risk of financial crime. The FCA explains that this 'countering' obligation extends to insider dealing and market manipulation.

The consultation paper also covers other minor amendments proposed by the FCA, including updating the Guide to reflect the introduction of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and removing outdated references on Sanctions.

Responses to the consultation are due by June 28, 2018. The FCA intends the final revised Guide to come into effect on October 1, 2018

View the consultation paper.

View the existing Financial Crime Guide.

The Financial Action Task Force has launched an online private sector survey on correspondent banking and the usefulness of its 2016 Guidance on correspondent banking services. The Guidance was published in response to increased concerns about so-called "de-risking," whereby financial institutions avoid, rather than manage, the risks associated with money laundering or terrorist financing by terminating business relations with entire regions or classes of customers. The FATF considers that de-risking is inconsistent with FATF Recommendations, that it has negatively impacted correspondent banking and that it may result in financial transactions being directed into less regulated areas, which would reduce transparency and increase exposure to money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

The FATF wants to assess whether its Guidance is helping to address the de-risking issues. The survey is intended to track their understanding of adoption and usefulness of the guidance.

The survey is open until April 16, 2018.

View the survey.

View the 2016 Guidance on correspondent banking. 

The Wolfsberg Group has published a set of Frequently Asked Questions on financial crime country risk. Country risk is the additional risk created by investing in, or lending cross border to, a foreign country in the context of credit facilities.

The FAQs cover: (i) the meaning of country risk in the context of financial crime compliance; (ii) the data sources that should be considered when developing a methodology to assess country risk; (iii) the frequency with which data sources should be refreshed; (iv) how sanctions should be considered in country risk methodologies; (v) the models or methodologies available to financial institutions to measure country risk, and how (and how frequently) financial institutions should test and validate their effectiveness; (vi) matters to be considered when purchasing and using an off-the-shelf commercial product to determine financial crime country risk ratings; (vii) whether there is standard or conventional methodology to assess country risk; (viii) how missing data points should be dealt with; (ix) whether overrides or discretionary risk rating changes should be allowed; (x) who should maintain ownership of the organization's FCCR Methodology; (xi) who uses the assessment results and how are the ratings disseminated; (xii) how the FCCR rating methodology should drive customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence requirements; and (xiii) whether a financial institution should have a country risk assessment expressed as a country risk rating.

Read more.

The G20 has published a Communiqué following the meeting of Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors in Buenos Aires on March 19 – 20, 2018.

Among other things, the Communiqué states that the G20 welcomes the finalization of Basel III and remains committed to full, timely and consistent implementation and finalization of the reforms. The G20 looks forward to the outcome of the evaluation of the reforms to identify and address any unintended consequences, which is being led by the Financial Stability Board.

The G20 also commits to continue to address the decline in correspondent banking relationships. It welcomes the FSB's March 2018 progress report on correspondent banking and calls on the FSB to monitor, with the FATF, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion, the adoption of the recommendations in the FSB's March 2018 report "Stocktake of Remittance Service Providers' Access to Banking Services."

Read more.

The Financial Action Task Force has published its report to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, in advance of their meeting in Buenos Aires scheduled for March 19 – 20, 2018. In the report, the FATF reiterates its commitment to tackle all sources, techniques and channels used in terrorist financing and to continue its work to increase financial transparency and improve the environment for remittances.

The report gives an overview of the FATF's recent work by providing stock-takes on the following workstreams:

• strengthening the FATF's institutional basis, governance and capacity;
• countering the financing of terrorism and proliferation;
• improving transparency and the availability of beneficial ownership information;
• supporting financial inclusion and access to regulated financial services;
• bank de-risking and the impact on remittances;
• FATF engagement with judges and prosecutors to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system; and
• the risks and opportunities of FinTech, RegTech and virtual currencies.

Read more
 

The Financial Stability Board has published two reports relating to its actions to address the decline in correspondent banking. The first report is a progress report addressed to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on the FSB's four-point action plan to assess and address the decline in correspondent banking relationships. It sets out the actions taken since the FSB's July 2017 progress report and describes the work that remains to be completed at international level and implemented at national level by regulators and banks. That work includes:

• Implementing the recommendations and action plan on access to banking services by remittance providers (set out in the second report, which is described below);
• National implementation of the new Financial Action Task Force and revised Basel Committee guidance on correspondent banking, which the FSB thinks can mostly be achieved by national regulators issuing statements to clarify their expectations so that they are reflected in supervisory practices as well as banks' risk management practices;
• Improving efficiencies in and enhancing standardization of Know Your Customer utilities, including encouraging the use of the Wolfsberg Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire; and
• Progressing the enhancement and further development of solutions to capture the trade finance components of correspondent banking.

Read more. 

The U.K. Joint Money Laundering Steering Group has launched a short consultation on minor changes to Part II of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing guidance in relation to two sectors, namely asset finance and syndicated lending.

In the press release announcing the draft revised guidance, the JMLSG clarifies that the revisions do not make substantive changes to the existing guidance. Instead, the proposals provide clarification on the workings of these two sectors, how to identify customers and how risks should be assessed.

The JMLSG invites comments on the proposed revisions by March 30, 2018.

View the consultation.

The Financial Stability Board has published an update to its correspondent banking data report. The latest data report updates the data report the FSB published in July 2017 alongside a report for the G20 on progress made on the four point action plan the FSB launched in November 2015 to address the decline in correspondent banking relationships. The latest data report updates the July 2017 data report with additional information provided by SWIFT incorporating the period from January to June 2017.

This new data reveals the average number of active corridors per country (that is, direct relationships between countries, measured by the flow of SWIFT messages) increased in the first half of 2017 in Oceania, Eastern Europe, and Northern America but declined in the rest of the Americas and of Europe, as well as Africa and Asia. There was continued reduction in the total number of active correspondents (as measured by the number of banks that have sent or received messages corridor by corridor in a given month). This decline in active correspondents has not resulted in a lower number of payment messages (volume) or a lower underlying value of the messages processed through SWIFT, leading the FSB to conclude that the higher volume of messages could in part reflect a lengthening of payment chains, as previously discussed in its July 2017 report. Concentration levels of correspondent banking remain high.

Read more.

The Wolfsberg Group has published an updated version of its Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire (dated February 22, 2018). The CBDDQ has been enhanced and expanded in line with regulatory expectations on strengthening and building due diligence tools. The Group has also published guidance on completing the CBDDQ, frequently asked questions and a glossary. The CBDDQ is intended to provide a standardized document for use by those needing to conduct due diligence on correspondent banks. Over time, it is hoped that use and availability of the CBDDQ may, among other things, help prevent unnecessary de-risking.

The Wolfsberg Group was established in 2002 and comprises thirteen banks. Its objective is to develop frameworks and guidance for the management of financial crime risks. The CBDDQ is intended to support the work on de-risking in correspondent banking by the Financial Stability Board, the Financial Action Task Force and the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures.
 

View the updated CBDDQ (version 1.2).

View the completion guidance.

View the FAQs.

View the Glossary.

The U.K.’s Joint Money Laundering Steering Group has confirmed that it has received approval from HM Treasury for the final revised guidance it published in December 2017 on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing for the financial services sector. The revisions to the guidance align it with the provisions of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, which is the UK implementing legislation for the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive (4MLD) and the revised Wire Transfer Regulation (WTR) which came into effect on June 26, 2017. 4MLD seeks to give effect to the updated Financial Action Task Force (FATF) global standards which promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. WTR sets out the minimum requirements that are essential to ensure the traceability of transfers of funds.

Read more.

A Commission Implementing Regulation providing Implementing Technical Standards on the procedures and forms for exchange of information and assistance between national regulators under the Market Abuse Regulation has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. MAR, which entered into force on July 3, 2016, requires national regulators to cooperate with each other in investigations and on supervision and enforcement matters by exchanging information, taking statements from individuals, conducting on-site inspections or investigations and in the recovery of monetary sanctions. The new ITS describe the procedures to be followed by national regulators when making, acknowledging, processing and replying to requests for assistance and when unsolicited assistance is provided and contain standard forms for national regulators to use when doing so.

The ITS enters into force on February 28, 2018 and apply directly across the EU.

View the Commission Implementing Regulation.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a final report and final draft Implementing Technical Standards on forms and procedures for cooperation of National Regulators and ESMA with other EU Authorities under the Market Abuse Regulation. MAR, which entered into force on July 3, 2016, requires national regulators and ESMA to cooperate and exchange information with certain EU authorities in investigations and on supervision and enforcement matters by exchanging information, taking statements from individuals and conducting on-site inspections or investigations. The other authorities are the European Commission, the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators, national regulatory authorities responsible for related spot markets and, in relation to emission allowances, the auction monitor and relevant auction national regulators. The final draft ITS describe the procedures to be followed for making, acknowledging, processing and replying to requests for assistance and when unsolicited assistance is provided and contain standard forms to be used when doing so. The European Commission has three months to consider whether to adopt the ITS.

View the final report and draft ITS.

The U.K. Home Office has published guidance on sharing of information within the regulated sector under the Criminal Finances Act 2017. The CFA 2017 amends the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000 to allow banks and other financial institutions to voluntarily share information with each other about a suspicion that a person is engaged in money laundering or a terrorist financing offense. The National Crime Agency is also permitted to request banks and financial institutions to voluntarily share information. The new information sharing provisions cover the entire regulated sector. However, implementation is being phased in, starting with banks and financial institutions.

The guidance confirms that sharing of information is voluntary and does not change the mandatory obligation to file a Suspicious Activity Report if appropriate. It also confirms that in sharing information, firms must ensure that they comply with data protection requirements, including under the incoming General Data Protection Regulation. In addition, the guidance confirms that where information is shared in good faith under the relevant CFA 2017 provisions, the POCA 2002 tipping off offense does not apply.

The guidance sets out the roles and responsibilities of firms involved in information sharing, the processes and procedures for submitting notifications and disclosures to the NCA and the interaction of the new provisions with the existing money laundering provisions.

View the guidance.

The European Commission has published a report to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the implementation and impact of the second Electronic Money Directive, known as 2EMD. 2EMD establishes a legal framework for the issuance and redemption of e-money and covers the rights and obligations linked to the redemption of funds by consumers, the licensing of e-money institutions and the prudential requirements applicable to e-money institutions, which updates the regime under the first Electronic Money Directive to align it with requirements on payment institutions under the revised Payment Services Directive. It applies to e-money service providers in the EEA. The regime has been sparsely used in practice, with few firms operating under its auspices.

2EMD requires the Commission to assess its implementation and impact and to propose legislative changes, if appropriate. The report was due on November 1, 2012, however, the Commission delayed its publication because a majority of member states had failed to transpose 2EMD into their national laws by the transposition date of April 2011. The Commission also wanted to take into account the impact of PSD2, which includes numerous cross-references to 2EMD.

Read more.

The Joint Committee of European Supervisory Authorities has published an Opinion addressed to EU national regulators to develop a common understanding of the appropriate use, by credit and financial institutions, of innovative methods to meet Customer Due Diligence obligations.

All firms that are subject to the Fourth Money Laundering Directive must put in place effective policies and procedures, including effective CDD procedures, to address the risk that their businesses may be used for money laundering or for terrorist financing purposes. 4MLD is "technology neutral" and does not set out specific steps or procedures that must be followed for CDD. There is scope, therefore, for new ways to verify customers' identity, for example non-face-to-face verification using traditional identity documents (such as passports) through portable devices or verification via centralized databases. Innovative means such as artificial intelligence are also increasingly used for monitoring customer relationships, for risk assessment and in decision-making processes.

The ESAs recognize that innovative solutions can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of AML/CFT controls and firms often use innovative solutions to meet demand for improved customer experience and costs savings. The ESAs believe that firms should not be prevented from using such solutions, provided that proper safeguards have been put in place to mitigate the ML/TF risk associated with the firm's business relationships and risk profile. The ESAs' Opinion highlights additional factors that national regulators can take into account when assessing the adequacy of any proposed use of innovative CDD solutions. These include: oversight and control mechanisms; the quality and adequacy of CDD measures; the reliability of CDD measures; delivery channel risk; and geographical risks.

View the Opinion.

The Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities has published final Guidelines on preventing terrorist financing and money laundering in electronic fund transfers under the EU Wire Transfer Regulation. The Wire Transfer Regulation, which applied from June 26, 2017, requires payment service providers, among other things, to have effective procedures to detect transfers of funds that lack the required information on the payer and the payee and to determine whether to execute, reject or suspend a transfer of funds that lacks that information.

The Guidelines set out the factors that payment service providers should consider when establishing and implementing procedures to detect and manage transfers of funds which do not have the required payer and payee information to ensure that their procedures are effective. The Guidelines also specify what a payment service provider should do to manage the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing where that information is missing or incomplete. Further, the Guidelines will assist payment service providers to determine which fund transfers fall within the scope of the Wire Transfer Regulation and how the exemptions might apply. National regulators are required to use the Guidelines when assessing the adequacy of a payment service provider's procedures.

The Guidelines will apply to all payment service providers and intermediary payment service providers as well as their national regulators from July 16, 2018.

View the Guidelines.

The Financial Action Task Force has published a Report on the financing of recruitment for terrorist purposes, as part of its strategy on combating terrorist financing. The Report has been compiled using input from relevant authorities and country experts from jurisdictions within the FATF Global Network, including the Asia Pacific, Eurasian, Middle-East and North African regions.

The Report examines the typical methods of recruitment to terrorist organizations and the costs associated with those methods. Recruitment methods vary from region to region. Techniques include recruitment via religious groups in some regions and online recruitment via social media in others. The Report also presents case study data on the sources of funds available to terrorist recruiters and the general expenditures involved in the recruitment process.

The Report concludes by recommending improved inter-agency and international co-operation to share information and analyze suspected recruiters and financial supporters of terrorist organizations. The Report recommends that national operational and security agencies engage more with the private sector, non-profit organizations and social media and other internet providers, by providing better contextual information and guidance to enable those providers to identify the financial flows associated with terrorist recruitment.

View the Report.

The Joint Money Laundering Steering Group has published final revised guidance on anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing for the financial services sector. The revised guidance will only replace the existing guidance once it has been approved by HM Treasury, however, the JMLSG notes that firms may use the revised version if they wish to.

View JMLSG's announcement.

The European Commission has published a consultation paper in which it seeks views on the main challenges for SME-dedicated markets and possible changes to EU legislation that might help build the EU high-growth SME markets. The consultation paper follows previous consultations and papers relating to the Capital Markets Union Action Plan.

The consultation focuses on SME Growth Markets, a new type of trading venue introduced under the Markets in Financial Instruments package. The consultation paper is split into two sections, the first of which considers the main drivers behind the downward trend of SME initial public offerings and bond issuances. The second section considers specific regulatory barriers to SME markets, small issuers and the local ecosystems surrounding SME markets. In particular, the Commission is seeking views on the MiFID II provisions which set the scope of SME Growth Markets, the market requirements for SME issuers to be assisted by a key adviser, delisting rules on SME Growth Markets and transfer of listings. 

Read more. 

The U.K. Government has published a U.K. Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017 to 2022 setting out how the U.K. Government intends to combat corruption over the next five years. The Strategy identifies the following six priorities:

1. Reduce the insider threat in high risk domestic sectors;

2. Strengthen the integrity of the United Kingdom as an international financial centre;

3. Promote integrity across the public and private sectors;

4. Reduce corruption in public procurement and grants;

5. Improve the business environment globally; and

6. Work with other countries to combat corruption.

In strengthening the United Kingdom’s position as an international financial centre, the Government intends to ensure greater transparency over ownership and control of legal entities, stronger enforcement, enhanced anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures and a better means for sharing information between the public and private sectors.

View the strategy.

The Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities has published a final Report and final draft joint Regulatory Technical Standards on the measures that financial institutions should take to mitigate the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing where a third country's laws do not permit the application of group-wide policies and procedures. The Fourth Money Laundering Directive, which entered into force on June 26, 2015, requires a financial institution to put policies and procedures in place to mitigate and manage the money laundering and terrorist financing risks to which it is exposed. Where a financial institution is part of a group, the policies and procedures must be implemented at group level. Additional policies and procedures must be implemented where a financial institution has a branch or majority-owned subsidiary in a third country whose laws do not allow the implementation of group-wide policies.

Read more.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has issued two consumer warnings on the risks of investing in contracts for differences relating to cryptocurrencies (that is, digital assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum) and the risks of trading binary options.

Read more.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a statement alerting investors about the high risks of investment in Initial Coin Offerings, including the risk of total loss of their investment. The statement is accompanied by an alert to EU firms involved in ICOs reminding them of their regulatory obligations.

Read more.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations to implement changes to the Cuba sanctions program announced by President Trump in June of this year, which aimed to reinforce certain policies that had been relaxed by the Obama Administration. Most significantly, President Trump directed OFAC to impose new travel restrictions and curtail transactions with businesses controlled by the Cuban military, intelligence, and security sectors - a prohibition many companies feared would heavily impact the tourism industry.

According to OFAC, the changes are "intended to channel economic activities away from the Cuban military, intelligence, and security services, while maintaining opportunities for Americans to engage in authorized travel to Cuba and support the private, small business sector in Cuba." The new regulations impose new travel restrictions on Americans and prohibit direct financial dealings with more than 80 hotels and dozens of other companies considered to be tied to Cuba's military, intelligence, or security services.

Read more.

The Financial Action Task Force has published a 2017 Supplement to the 2013 Guidance on AML/CFT Measures and Financial Inclusion. The 2013 Guidance sets out how anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing measures could be designed to achieve financial inclusion without compromising financial crime fighting. The 2017 Supplement is intended to encourage financial inclusion by providing examples of how countries have adapted their customer due diligence measures for this purpose through simplified CDD or alternative forms of identity verification.

View the FATF Supplement.

View the 2013 Guidance.

The Financial Action Task Force has published new Guidance on private sector information sharing in the context of anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing. The Guidance is intended to improve information sharing, which is a key part of the FATF Recommendations and Immediate Outcomes, by assisting national regulators and financial institutions to implement the FATF Recommendations. This non-binding Guidance discusses the obstacles to information sharing at a group-wide level and between different financial institutions. Those include different legal frameworks for data protection and privacy, financial secrecy laws, operational issues, such as IT capability and lack of policies and procedures, and, for national regulators, implementing consolidated supervision. The Guidance also includes examples of how some countries have addressed these challenges.

View the FATF Guidance.

HM Treasury has published a National Risk Assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing for 2017. The 2017 NRA identifies risks that have changed since the first NRA was published in 2015, assesses the UK's current understanding of these risks and discusses the high-risk areas in more detail. The key findings of the 2017 NRA for the financial services sector include:

1. The steps to address the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing to the financial services sector are starting to take effect but the risk profile has not moved significantly yet. However, there is now an increased understanding of the varying risk profiles across different parts of the sector.

2. The risks of money laundering and terrorist financing to the retail banking sector are both high, mostly due to the criminal intent to exploit retail banking products and the increasing speed and volume of transactions.

Read more.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has announced the launch of the second phase of its Financial Instrument Reference Database (FIRDS). FIRDS covers the requirements under both the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation and the Market Abuse Regulation for reference data collection, transparency reporting obligations, submission of the Double Volume Cap data and the transaction exchange reporting mechanism. With the launch, ESMA is providing access to the database holding the currently available reference data that market participants will use to identify instruments subject to the reference data reporting requirements. The aim of the launch is to assist market participants in preparing their systems in advance of the obligation coming into effect on January 3, 2018.

View ESMA's announcement.

The Wolfsberg Group has published two new standards, the Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire (CBDDQ) and the revised Payment Transparency Standards. The Wolfsberg Group was established in 2002 and comprises thirteen banks. Its objective is to develop frameworks and guidance for the management of financial crime risks. Both of the new standards are intended to support the work on de-risking in correspondent banking by the Financial Stability Board, the Financial Action Task Force and the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructure.

View the CBDDQ.

View the revised Payment Transparency Standards.

The Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures is consulting on a possible strategy to improve the security of wholesale payments involving banks, financial market infrastructures and other financial institutions. The CPMI is a global standard setter, mandated to promote the safety and efficiency of payment, clearing, settlement and related arrangements. It formed a task force in 2016, to look into the evolving threat and increasing sophistication of wholesale payments fraud. The CPMI taskforce undertook a stocktake of current practices. The resulting discussion note highlights for consultation seven elements relating to preventing, detecting, responding to and communicating about wholesale payments fraud.

Stakeholders are invited to provide input on the proposed strategy by November 28, 2017. Consultation responses will contribute to guidance on the seven elements, which the CPMI aims to develop by early 2018.

View the CPMI Discussion Note.

The UK Government has published its response to its April 2017 public consultation which sought views on the legal measures that would be needed in order to continue to be able to impose and implement sanctions following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. Due to the fact that many of the current sanctions regimes are established via powers in the European Communities Act 1972, the UK will need new legal powers to replace these once that Act is repealed and the April 2017 consultation set out proposals for a new sanctions framework to address this need. The Government intends to introduce a Sanctions Bill during the current Parliamentary session which will ensure that the UK has the necessary legal powers to implement sanctions after the UK's exit from the EU. The Bill will also give the UK greater flexibility in choosing when and how to introduce new measures. The Government proposes that the Bill will create new powers to impose, implement and enforce sanctions regimes, drawing on the current EU model. Additionally, new asset-freezing provisions will make it easier to stop suspected terrorists from accessing their money. Flexibility will be provided by introducing an annual review of regimes to ensure that they remain appropriate and by provisions that will enable the government to issue exemptions when needed, for example in delivering humanitarian aid in regions affected by sanctions. The Bill will also provide a framework for individuals and organisations to challenge any sanctions imposed on them.

View Government's Press Release.

View Government Response to Consultation.

Implementing Technical Standards on the procedures and forms for national regulators exchanging information with the European Securities and Markets Authority under the Market Abuse Regulation have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. MAR, which entered into force on July 3, 2016, requires EU national regulators to submit information annually to ESMA on sanctions, investigations and other measures imposed by them. The ITS require national regulators to designate single points of contact for providing the information, provide the dates by which reports are due to ESMA and contain the forms for regulators to provide the information. The ITS will enter into force on July 20, 2017.

View the ITS.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a final Report and final draft Implementing Technical Standards on the procedures and forms for national regulators to use when exchanging information with each other under the Market Abuse Regulation. MAR, which entered into force on July 3, 2016, requires national regulators to cooperate with each other in investigations and on supervision and enforcement matters by exchanging information, taking statements from individuals, conducting on-site inspections or investigations and the recovery of monetary sanctions. The final draft ITS describe the procedures to be followed by national regulators when making, acknowledging, processing and replying to requests for assistance and when unsolicited assistance is provided and contain standard forms for national regulators to use when doing so. The European Commission has three months to consider whether to adopt the ITS.

View ESMA's Report.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has announced that its IT system for the collection of financial instrument reference data under the Market Abuse Regulation will become operational from July 17, 2017. The IT system is known as Financial Instrument Reference Data System - FIRDS. MAR requires market operators of exchanges and investment firms and market operators operating multilateral trading facilities and organised trading facilities to notify their national regulator of any financial instrument for which a request for admission to trading is made, which is admitted to trading or is traded for the first time. This notification will be made to national regulators or via FIRDS for those jurisdictions where the national regulator has delegated the task to ESMA. All notifications must be made in accordance with the relevant secondary EU legislation setting out the timing, format and templates. Notifications are required for admissions and trades from July 3, 2016 which is when MAR became applicable across the EU. ESMA is required to publish the information on its website.

View ESMA's announcement.

The Joint Money Laundering Steering Group has published and opened up for consultation its proposed revisions to Parts II and III of its Guidance on the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism for the UK financial services industry. This follows on from the recent consultation on Part I, which closed on April 28, 2017. The proposed revisions will align the JMLSG Guidance with the proposed Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, on which the Government recently consulted. The draft Regulations are intended to implement into UK laws the EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive and are due to take effect by June 26, 2017 at the same time as 4MLD.

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The European Securities and Markets Authority has published an opinion addressed to national regulators on points of convergence for Market Abuse Regulation-accepted market practices for liquidity contracts.

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The Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities has published a consultation on proposed guidelines on preventing terrorist financing and money laundering in electronic fund transfers under the EU Wire Transfer Regulation. The Wire Transfer Regulation, which is applicable from June 26, 2017, requires payment service providers, among other things, to have effective procedures to detect transfers of funds that lack the required information on the payer and the payee and to determine whether to execute, reject or suspend a transfer of funds that lacks that information. The proposed guidelines aim to assist payment service providers in complying with these obligations under the Wire Transfer Regulation. The guidelines will set out the factors that payment service providers should consider when establishing and implementing procedures to detect and manage transfers of funds which do not have the required payer and payee information. They will also specify what a payment service provider should do to manage the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing where that information is missing or incomplete. The proposed guidelines are also intended to assist national regulators to assess the adequacy of a payment service provider's procedures.

View the consultation paper.

The UK HM Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation can impose penalties for serious financial sanctions breaches under the Policing and Crime Act 2017. Penalties can be up to £1 million or 50% of the breach, whichever is higher. The monetary penalties regime created under the 2017 Act is an alternative to criminal prosecution for breaches of financial sanctions, which are punishable upon conviction by up to seven years in prison. The UK Government ran a consultation from December 1, 2016 to January 26, 2017 on the process for imposing monetary penalties for breaches of financial sanctions. The Treasury has since published guidance which gives an explanation of its powers to impose penalties, a summary of its compliance and enforcement approach, an overview of how the OFSI will assess whether to apply a monetary penalty and what factors the OFSI will take into account in doing so, an overview of the process that will decide the level of penalty and an explanation of how the OFSI will impose a penalty, including timescales at each stage and rights of review and appeal.

View HM Treasury's Guidance.

The Joint Money Laundering Steering Group has published and opened up for consultation its proposed revisions to Part I of its Guidance on the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism for the UK financial services industry. The proposed revisions will align the JMLSG Guidance with the proposed Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, on which the Government recently consulted. The draft Regulations are intended to implement into UK laws the EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive and are due to take effect by June 26, 2017 at the same time as 4MLD.

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The UK Government has published a review of the UK's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism regime. The document summarizes the views and evidence submitted by businesses to the UK Government's Cutting Red Tape review on the impact of the current Regime. Businesses such as banks, financial institutions and businesses who are asked to comply with banks' and financial institutions' requirements under the Regime. The UK Government launched the CRT Review in 2015 seeking evidence of any needless and ineffective burdens associated with the UK AML/CTF Regime.

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The Financial Conduct Authority has published draft Guidance on the treatment of politically exposed persons under the UK draft Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017. The draft Regulations were published by HM Treasury on March 15, 2017. Politically exposed persons or "PEPs" are people who hold high public office. The Money Laundering Regulations 2007 impose an obligation on firms to undertake enhanced due diligence measures when dealing with PEPs who are located outside of the UK, as well as family members and close associates of PEPs. PEPs, as well as their families and persons known to be close associates, have been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force as requiring enhanced scrutiny by firms as PEPs may be in position to abuse their public office for private gain.

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The UK Government has published draft Money Laundering Regulations 2017 alongside a consultative document. Publication of the draft Regulations follows a consultation launched by HM Treasury on September 15, 2016, entitled "Transposition of the Fourth Money Laundering Directive," where it outlined how the UK Government intended to transpose the 4MLD and the Fund Transfer Regulation. The 4MLD builds on the Third Money Laundering Directive and Money Laundering Regulations, imposing new requirements on businesses and amends some of the existing obligations. The FTR updates the rules contained in the 2006 regulation relating to the information on payers and payees that accompanies transfers of any currency, with a view to preventing, detecting and investigating money laundering and terrorist financing. The FTR applies to the transfer of funds where at least one of the payment service providers involved in the transfer is established in the EU. This consultation outlines the responses submitted to the 2016 consultation and the UK Government's policy decisions following that consultation and requests feedback on further policy questions and the draft Regulations.

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