At the European Anti-Financial Crime Summit in Dublin, Ms. Bruna Szego, the inaugural Chair of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), delivered a keynote speech, to an audience of public and private sector stakeholders, highlighting the Authority’s strategic priorities and the urgent need for unified, cross-sector action against financial crime.
Ms. Szego underscored the transformative potential of AMLA, describing it as "a significant step ushering in a new chapter of enhanced cooperation and unified action in our shared mission to counter money laundering and terrorism financing."
She emphasized that tackling money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF) is about more than disrupting criminal networks, it is vital to the economic and democratic stability of the European Union. “Money laundering corrodes public trust, fuels organized crime, corruption, and tax evasion, and distorts fair competition,” Ms. Szego stated. “Our response must be strong and unified.”
Szego presented AMLA’s immediate priorities, organized around three aspects, namely establishing operational foundations, building supervisory and FIU coordination capacity, and fostering a culture of cooperation in AML.
Highlighting AMLA’s dual mandate, supervision, and FIU coordination, Ms. Szego pointed to the potential for strategic synergies. “This is not just a structural decision, it’s a big opportunity,” she said. “By breaking down silos and enabling deeper cooperation between supervision and intelligence, we are building an AML/CFT system that is more responsive, more informed, and ultimately, more effective.”
Additionally, Ms. Szego underlined the relevance for all participants to raise awareness for the changes in the AML system with the non-financial sector, particularly the newly obliged entities.
In her closing remarks, Szego acknowledged the challenges ahead, from diverging national practices to technological change. Yet she expressed unwavering determination: “Despite these challenges, we must act with determination. Our timeline is tight, and the issues we face are many.”
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of events like the summit: “Bringing together key stakeholders from both the private and public sectors is not just beneficial—it is absolutely essential.”
The full text of Bruna Szego's speech is available here.