EUEuropean Union
A political and economic union of 27 member states. It legislates on AML/CFT through directives (the AMLDs) and directly applicable regulations (the AMLR and the AMLA Regulation), and it adopts sanctions (restrictive measures) that implement UN sanctions and add its own autonomous measures.
Why it matters
For two decades, EU AML rules came mainly through directives that each member state transposed into national law, which produced different requirements across the single market. The package adopted in 2024 changes that model.
The Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) applies directly in all member states from 10 July 2027, with one rulebook for customer due diligence, beneficial ownership and reporting. The Sixth AML Directive (AMLD6) covers national supervisors, financial intelligence units and beneficial ownership registers. The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), based in Frankfurt, has operated since 2025 and will begin direct supervision of selected high-risk institutions in 2028.
EU sanctions are adopted by the Council and bind every person and company in the EU. They have expanded sharply since 2022, mainly through successive packages against Russia, which makes accurate screening a daily operational requirement for EU firms.
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