AMLA completes three EU anti-money-laundering technical standards for July 2027

The EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) has completed three regulatory technical standards (RTS) intended to supplement the EU anti-money-laundering framework. The texts have been sent to the European Commission for approval. The standards sit within implementation of the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), which applies from 10 July 2027, the report said.

The first standard covers customer due diligence (CDD) obligations and sets out the information businesses must obtain and verify to identify customers. It addresses simplified measures for low-risk situations, identification procedures using electronic tools and methods for verifying customers' nationality. The standard implements Article 28(1) of the AMLR, according to the report.

The second standard concerns the distinction between ongoing business relationships and occasional transactions, a factor in determining when specific identification and monitoring obligations apply. It defines thresholds for occasional transactions and sets criteria to distinguish them from business relationships, including parameters for different economic sectors. The provisions refer to Article 19(9) of the AMLR, the report said.

The third standard covers anti-money-laundering obligations at group level, with the aim of ensuring consistent procedures and controls within corporate organisations operating in several countries. AMLA sets minimum requirements for the policies, procedures and control systems adopted by corporate groups, and identifies additional measures required where branches or subsidiaries are based in third countries outside the EU. The standard implements Articles 16(4) and 17(3) of the AMLR, the report said.

It was reported that the provisions are relevant to the public gambling and betting sector, where customer identification, monitoring of financial transactions and prevention of money-laundering risks are central to compliance systems. For online gambling operators, the report said, the indications on electronic identification and customer verification may affect the organisation of registration and control procedures, while the group provisions mainly concern companies active in several jurisdictions.

The texts must now be approved by the European Commission before the regulatory process is complete. The report stated that the date of 10 July 2027 concerns application of the new AMLR and does not by itself confirm that the individual technical standards will apply then, as they remain subject to approval.