AMLA Finalises Three Regulatory Standards
The European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) announced on October 1, 2026, that it had finalised three sets of regulatory technical standards (RTS) covering key anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) requirements for companies and professionals operating in the European Union.
The standards address business relationships and occasional transactions, customer due diligence (CDD), and group-wide AML/CFT arrangements. They are intended to establish a more consistent framework for financial crime prevention across the EU.
AMLA developed the standards in cooperation with national supervisors and following consultations with stakeholders. The final draft standards have now been submitted to the European Commission.
Three Areas Covered by the New Standards
The three standards address different aspects of AML/CFT compliance.
- Business Relationships and Occasional Transactions
The first set of standards explains how obliged entities should distinguish between business relationships and occasional transactions. It also addresses how linked transactions should be identified.
These distinctions are important because customer due diligence thresholds can depend on the nature and value of transactions. Consistent identification of linked transactions is intended to help businesses apply the relevant requirements more uniformly.
For AML professionals, this area is particularly relevant to customer onboarding, transaction assessment and the application of CDD thresholds.
- Customer Due Diligence Requirements
The second set of standards focuses on customer due diligence. It covers the information that businesses and professionals must collect and verify when establishing or maintaining customer relationships.
The standards also address proportionate measures for lower-risk situations, non-face-to-face verification, electronic identification and the screening of politically exposed persons (PEPs), including their family members and close associates.
These provisions are relevant to KYC teams responsible for identity verification, customer risk assessment and ongoing due diligence.
The emphasis on proportionality and risk-based measures is intended to provide clearer expectations while taking account of differing levels of customer risk.
- Group-Wide AML/CFT Arrangements
The third set of standards establishes minimum requirements for group-wide AML/CFT arrangements, including governance, risk management, internal controls and secure information sharing.
These requirements are particularly relevant to financial and other obliged entities operating through subsidiaries and branches in different jurisdictions.
Effective group-wide arrangements can help organisations maintain consistent compliance oversight across their operations. The standards also address additional measures involving subsidiaries and branches in third countries.
What Happens Next?
AMLA has submitted the final draft standards to the European Commission for consideration.
They are not yet equivalent to fully applicable binding rules. Once adopted and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the standards are proposed to apply six months after their entry into force.
A separate implementation date of July 10, 2029, is specified for football agents and professional football clubs.
Businesses should therefore distinguish the standards’ current status from the future requirements that will apply following the relevant adoption and publication process.
Why This Matters for AML and KYC Professionals
The standards are relevant to AML analysts, KYC analysts, compliance officers, risk managers and financial crime investigators working with EU-regulated businesses.
KYC teams should pay particular attention to the provisions concerning customer information, identity verification, electronic identification and PEP screening. These areas are directly relevant to customer onboarding and ongoing due diligence procedures.
AML compliance managers may also need to assess the proposed standards’ implications for transaction classification, linked transactions, internal controls and group-wide governance.
For multinational organisations, the group-wide standards are particularly relevant because they address common minimum requirements for AML/CFT arrangements across corporate structures.
Compliance teams can use the final draft standards to begin identifying potential procedural gaps. However, implementation decisions should take account of the final legal texts and applicable commencement dates.
Key Takeaways
- AMLA finalised three sets of AML/CFT regulatory technical standards on October 1, 2026.
- The standards cover business relationships and occasional transactions, customer due diligence, and group-wide compliance arrangements.
- The CDD standards address identity verification, electronic identification and PEP screening.
- The group-wide standards cover governance, risk management, internal controls and secure information sharing.
- The final draft standards have been submitted to the European Commission and are not yet fully applicable binding rules.
Conclusion
AMLA’s latest announcement marks a further step towards a more harmonised EU AML/CFT framework. The three standards address important aspects of customer due diligence, transaction classification and group-wide compliance.
AML and KYC professionals should review the final draft texts, assess their relevance to existing procedures and monitor the European Commission’s adoption process to prepare for the applicable requirements.
Source: European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), October 1, 2026, AMLA finalises key standards for the private sector.
