On October 10, 2019, the Council of the EU's Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), met to discuss key issues including anti money laundering matters and reforms. The Economic and Financial Affairs Council is set to adopt conclusions on the implementation of the anti-money laundering (AML) action plan that was presented last December. The Commission, in addressing shortcomings of the current AML policies, is pushing agreed upon reforms including: the 5th revision of the AML directive; new CRD5 capital requirements for banks and the revised European system of financial supervision; enhancing the cooperation and exchange of information between competent authorities; and further harmonizing AML rules by converting the current AML directive into concrete regulations, in addition to giving an EU body specific AML supervisory tasks.

The 5^th directive on AML and terrorist financing compels the identification of third country jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in the management of anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing regimes, and that pose significant threats to the EU financial system. Accordingly, Ministers discussed a methodology for constructing this list and plan to release a new draft list in the form of a delegated act. The “Commission non-paper on key elements of a refined methodology for identifying high-risk third countries for AML purposes” can be found here.  WOCCU and ENCU will monitor these issues closely as they move to the process to determine any adverse impact on credit unions.