The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) is taking a major step toward harmonised EU AML/CFT supervision. From 2028, AMLA will directly supervise 40 of the most complex high-risk financial institutions or groups in the EU. The instruments announced today set out how AMLA and national supervisors will assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks and work together in the process of AMLA selecting the entities it will directly supervise.
A common risk assessment methodology
For the first time, supervisors across the EU will use a common methodology to assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks. The draft RTS on risk assessments specifies data points and criteria that national supervisors will use to assess the entities they supervise. The draft RTS on selection applies these same data points and criteria to set out how AMLA will assess risks for the purposes of selecting entities for direct supervision.
This harmonised approach means that AMLA and national supervisors will have the same understanding of risks, leading to a more robust and consistent AML/CFT supervision across Europe. Once approved by the European Commission, these rules will apply directly in all Member States.
“These instruments mark a significant step toward supervisory convergence,” said AMLA Chair Bruna Szego. “They reflect the close and productive cooperation with national authorities, whose commitment is essential to making the new AML/CFT framework effective.”
Paving the way for direct supervision
As part of its preparation for direct supervision, AMLA launched a public consultation on draft implementing technical standards that set out how AMLA and national financial supervisors will cooperate during the selection process and when transferring supervisory powers for institutions or groups that will be directly supervised by AMLA. Stakeholders are invited to provide input through the public consultation by 27 January 2026.
Next steps
The new rules on risk assessments and the public consultation are the first of several preparatory steps ahead of AMLA's 2028 direct supervision mandate. In 2026, AMLA will continue to work with national supervisors to test the risk assessment methodology and selection process, ensuring the framework is robust and fit for purpose before it becomes operational.
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Download the PDF version of the press release here.