2025 - Updates from the FATF

The February 2025 update of the FATF Recommendations brought several significant clarifications and enhancements across key areas. The most notable changes include:

 https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/Fatf-recommendations.html

1. Strengthened Risk-Based Approach (Recommendation 1)

2. Expanded Scope of Proliferation Financing Obligations (Recommendations 1, 2, 7, 15)

3. National Cooperation and Coordination (Recommendation 2)

4. Transparency and Beneficial Ownership (Recommendations 24 & 25)

5. Introduction of Interpretive Notes on Proliferation Financing

6. Confiscation (Recommendation 4)

FATF Recommendations 2012.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf

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12-14 May 2025 - AMC Advisory to speak at the ACAMS Assembly Europe

Venue: CNIT Forest2 Place de la Défense, 92092 Puteaux (Paris)

Time: Wed, 05/14/2025 - 11:40am-12:30pm

Breaking Down Barriers: Collaboration Beyond Silos

While silos may have their place in agriculture, in business they often symbolize isolation. Yet they can cultivate profound expertise within teams. The challenge lies in balancing this specialization with the need to contribute diverse and complementary skills across the organization. Join us for a panel discussion featuring experts from various sectors as they share strategies to enhance communication and collaboration, propelling AML/AFC goals forward.Presenters:Ruairí de Burca, Director of Fraud and Financial Crime Risk (MLRO), MonzoAudrey Milesi, CEO, AMC-AdvisoryBertrand Salewyn, Global Head of Financial Crime, Société Générale

Forward

Europe has everything in place to upgrade its AML regime. After years of planning and approving legislation, the region is ready to act in order to protect its economy from existing and emerging threats. Hear from our expert speakers for an in-depth analysis into how the European AML community will be affected by these upcoming developments. We’ll look at implementation of the EU’s AML package, in particular the operational start of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) and its expected priorities, as well as the integration of MiCA and regulating crypto. Additionally, this year’s programme promises to explore important topics such as the upcoming FATF evaluations, challenges associated with banking as a service and FinTech AML compliance, issues linked to information sharing including Article 75 and staying abreast of the latest fraud and sanctions evasion schemes.

The Assembly Europe 2025 could not come at a better time. Join industry leaders, top regulators and fellow AFC practitioners May 13-14 to gain insights and guidance into the latest global and regional AML developments impacting the European compliance community.

Register: https://www.acams.org/en/events/the-assembly/the-assembly-europe?utm_source_code=5874&utm_campaign=ACAMS_Events_Google_EMEA_SearchBR_Leads_Evg_Phrase_0_English_0_Europe_2025_Location-Based&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_keywordid=kwd-2271294094506&utm_device=c&utm_keymatch=p&campaign_id=22006695114&creative_id=725039785417&click_id=Cj0KCQjwqIm_BhDnARIsAKBYcmuatLGSMx8Dl3r27sTbmW71GIzggv--kcww-AOnPtL-X4PeAdiR0AEaAm_GEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqIm_BhDnARIsAKBYcmuatLGSMx8Dl3r27sTbmW71GIzggv--kcww-AOnPtL-X4PeAdiR0AEaAm_GEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#overview-5ace13ce

February 2025: Latest Corruption Perceptions Index

Link to the report: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2024

Transparency International has been ranking 180 countries "on a scale from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt)" since 2012. The latest report published in February 2025 is based on the situation between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024.

The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) notable shifts in perceived public sector corruption across various countries. While some nations have shown improvement, others have experienced declines, a.o. the USA and the UK:

• Countries with Notable Improvements:

  • Bahrain: Bahrain's score increased to 53 in 2024, up from 36 in 2017, marking a 17-point improvement over seven years. ​

  • Kuwait: Kuwait's score rose to 46 in 2024, up from 39 in 2017, reflecting a 7-point gain over the same period.

    
    

  Countries with Significant Declines:

  • Lebanon: Lebanon experienced the largest decline in the Middle East and North Africa region, with its score dropping to 22 in 2024. ​

  • United States: The U.S. score fell to 65 in 2024, a 4-point drop from 2023, marking its lowest score since 2012. Factors contributing to this decline include concerns over "undue influence" by industries affecting climate and environmental policies. ​

  • United Kingdom: The UK's score remained at 71 in 2024, maintaining its lowest position since the index's inception in 2012. This stagnation is attributed to various scandals, including "Partygate" and issues related to political donations and PPE contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • South Sudan: South Sudan slid to the bottom of the index with a score of 8 in 2024, displacing Somalia as the lowest-ranked country. ​