30/07/2026
The AMLA has published the final report on the new standards to create a harmonised approach to enforcing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) rules across the European Union.
The new standards aim to ensure greater consistency between supervisors in EU Member States. Until now, similar breaches committed under comparable circumstances could result in different enforcement outcomes depending on the country or supervisor involved. Under AMLA’s new approach, the same breach in the same circumstances should lead to the same enforcement response across the EU.
The standards introduce a common, risk-based methodology for assessing breaches. Supervisors will evaluate the severity of an infringement using shared criteria, including its duration, whether it was repeated, and its impact. Each breach will then be classified into one of four levels of severity, with common criteria guiding supervisors in determining the appropriate enforcement measure.
The new framework applies to all sectors covered by EU AML rules, including both financial and non-financial entities. Once adopted by the European Commission, the standards will become directly applicable and legally binding across all EU Member States.