新的歐盟反洗錢（AML）法規和指令已由歐盟部長理事會（歐盟理事會）通過。從 2027 年中期開始，它將取代成員國反洗錢制度中的大部分條款。
該法規將從2028 年起將私營部門企業置於法蘭克福新成立的歐洲監管局(ESA) 的監管之下。反洗錢規則。該指令確實需要轉換，它涉及每個國家反洗錢主管機構的組織，制定了關於金融情報機構（FIU）和監管機構如何合作分享和處理成員國可疑或異常金融活動的共同規則。
歐洲安全局將對金融領域的高風險義務實體擁有直接和間接的監管權，並有權在嚴重、系統性或反覆違反直接適用要求的情況下對受監管實體實施金融制裁。它也將對非金融部門發揮支持作用。
新立法也將反洗錢規則擴展到大多數加密貨幣行業，以及奢侈品交易商、足球俱樂部和經紀人。從2029年開始，與投資者或贊助商（包括廣告商和球員轉會）進行高價值金融交易的頂級職業足球俱樂部也必須驗證其客戶的身份，監控交易並向其政府報告任何可疑交易。
它還收緊了盡職調查要求，將現金支付限制為 10,000 歐元，並規範了受益所有權資訊的收集和揭露。歐洲議會表示，擁有合法利益的人，包括記者、民間社會組織、主管機關和監管機構，將可以「立即、未經過濾、直接和免費」訪問國家登記處保存的並在歐盟層面相互關聯的受益所有權資訊。除了當前資訊外，登記處還將包括至少五年前的數據。
該指令進一步規定歐盟成員國創建集中銀行帳戶登記冊，記錄誰擁有哪個銀行帳戶以及在哪裡。他們必須透過單一接入點向金融情報機構提供資訊。在通過該指令時，歐盟理事會同意了一項單獨的條款，以確保國家執法機構也可以透過單一存取點存取這些登記冊。對於資產超過 5,000 萬歐元（不包括主要住所）的高淨值個人，還有額外的警惕規定，以及防止規避金融制裁的措施。
反洗錢法規將在生效三年後適用。成員國將有兩年的時間來調整反洗錢指令的某些部分，另外三年的時間來調整其他部分。各國政府制定更嚴格的反洗錢規則的權力仍然有限。
EU AML regulation and directive formally adopted
The new EU anti-money laundering (AML) regulation and directive has been adopted by the EU Council of Ministers (the EU Council). It will replace most of the provisions in Member States' AML regimes from mid-2027.
The regulation will bring private sector businesses under the supervision of the new European Supervisory Authority (ESA) in Frankfurt from 2028. It takes direct effect in Member States without having to be transposed into law and, for the first time, exhaustively harmonises AML rules throughout the EU. The directive, which does have to be transposed, deals with the organisation of the competent AML authorities in each country, setting out common rules on how financial intelligence units (FIUs) and supervisors cooperate in sharing and acting on suspicious or unusual financial activity in Member States.
The ESA will have direct and indirect supervisory powers over high-risk obliged entities in the financial sector, with powers to impose financial sanctions on regulated entities in cases of serious, systematic or repeated breaches of directly applicable requirements. It will also have a supporting role with respect to non-financial sectors.
The new legislation also extends the AML rules to most of the crypto sector, as well as traders of luxury goods and football clubs and agents. From 2029, top-tier professional football clubs involved in high-value financial transactions with investors or sponsors, including advertisers and the transfer of players, will also have to verify their customers' identities, monitor transactions and report any suspicious transaction to their governments.
It also tightens the due-diligence requirements, limits cash payments to EUR10,000 and regulates the collection and disclosure of beneficial ownership information. People with a legitimate interest, including journalists, civil society organisations, competent authorities and supervisory bodies, will have 'immediate, unfiltered, direct and free' access to beneficial ownership information held in national registries and interconnected at EU level, said the European Parliament. In addition to current information, the registries will also include data going back at least five years.
The directive further prescribes that EU Member States create centralised bank account registers recording who owns which bank account and where. They must make the information available to FIUs through a single access point. When adopting the directive, the EU Council agreed a separate provision to ensure that national law enforcement authorities will also have access to these registers via the single access point. There are additional vigilance provisions regarding high-net-worth individuals with assets over EUR50 million excluding their main residence, as well as measures to prevent circumvention of financial sanctions.
The AML regulation will apply three years after entering into force. Member States will have two years to transpose some parts of the AML directive and three years for others. National governments will still have limited powers to enact their own more stringent AML rules.
Sources:
EU Council
Stibbe
CMS Law-Now
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