FIN.

EP upset over rejected AML blacklist

The European Parliament has called for urgent resolution of the debate between the EU Council and Commission on the new proposed AML blacklist. The EP had previously rejected 2 submissions by the Commission on the grounds they were not sufficiently autonomous and had supported the Commission in the development of its new methodology. It “regrets” the Council’s objection to the proposal and urges the Commission to come up with a new list that takes into account the Council’s concerns. It also notes that, under the laws currently in force (that is, not MLD5), the Commission should proceed on the basis of its methodology alone – and should proceed with its “priority 2” assessments.

The EP acknowledges that listed countries will always seek to contest listings and urged the Commission to publicise its assessments for the sake of transparency. It also specifically noted that work on assessing Russia is still ongoing.

Emma Radmore