Risk Assessment

Take-Aways – ACAMS Conference – Berlin 2019

Berlin Risk joined ACAMS 15th Annual Anti-Financial Crime Conference as an exhibitor, sponsor and speaker at the Berlin conference in June 2019. Berlin Risk’s Managing Director, Jennifer Hanley-Giersch, took part as a panelist focusing on the management of high-risk customers. She discussed adequate approaches to customer risk rating and what levels of investigations are necessary to also address reputational risk. With high-risk clients it is not sufficient to simply identify the UBO. “It is important to have an in-depth understanding of who the customer is, the countries of operations, wider business interest and political associations,” Jennifer said.

Risky Business: 5AMLD and EDD

The fifth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD) carries significant regulatory developments particularly in relation to high-risk customers and relevant enhanced due diligence requirements. Innovations concern EDD in view of high-risk third countries, ultimate ownership information, transparency of funds, and scrutiny of political exposed persons. Essentially, the 5AMLD further raises the benchmarks for the practice of EDD on high-risk customers.

Status of the European AML Framework

Large-scale money laundering investigations have been the drivers to improving the safeguards for the overall stability of the EU’s financial sector. Beyond the implementation of the Fifth AML Directive (5AMLD), additional significant developments include the proposed EU regulation strengthening the role of the European Banking Authority (EBA) in supervising the financial institutions, the European Council’s action plan for non-legislative AML measures, and the passing of the EU Directive on combating money laundering by criminal law.

The Controversial EU List of High-Risk Third Countries

The list of High-Risk Third Countries with strategic AML deficiencies presented by the EU Commission in February 2019 was rejected by the EU Council shortly after. It appears that the country risk assessment has been affected by political considerations.

Ultimate Beneficial Ownership and the Fourth EU AML Directive

The Fourth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive has now been implemented and with it comes the launch of the new ultimate beneficial ownership registry across the 27 EU member states. Here is a detailed look at the new registry and the drive for increased transparency.

RegTech and Financial Crime Prevention

Berlin Risk Managing Director, Jennifer Hanley-Giersch, gives a short update on the RegTech market and how it can be a cost-saving solution for financial crime prevention in today’s regulatory environment.