EBA Laying the Groundwork for AMLA’s Success

The European Banking Authority’s (EBA) response to the European Commission’s Call for Advice marks a pivotal step towards establishing the European Union’s new anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. Published on 30 October 2025, the EBA’s recommendations aim to ensure that the future Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) launches on a strong, risk-based foundation.

At the heart of the EBA’s advice lies a clear intention to create a consistent yet proportionate regulatory framework across Member States. By focusing on effectiveness, operational feasibility and supervisory clarity, the EBA’s work will help AMLA quickly achieve its objective of enhancing coordination and oversight of financial crime risks within the EU.

The EBA’s consultation covers six key mandates requested by the European Commission in March 2024. These include technical standards for assessing the risk profiles of obliged entities, determining which institutions AMLA will directly supervise, and defining the information to be collected under customer due diligence (CDD) obligations. It also addresses how supervisory authorities should classify breaches, set pecuniary sanctions and handle information exchange within financial groups.

Crucially, the EBA has sought to balance prescriptive consistency with flexibility, ensuring that its proposals are both adaptable and practical. Extensive stakeholder engagement and collaboration with national authorities have shaped a framework that prioritises operational efficiency without compromising the EU’s collective resilience to money laundering and terrorist financing threats.

Once adopted by AMLA and endorsed by the European Commission, these regulatory technical standards (RTS) will provide a cornerstone for Europe’s new AML/CFT system. They will guide supervisory conduct, shape enforcement outcomes and underpin AMLA’s direct supervisory mandate.

As AMLA prepares to assume full responsibility for the EU’s AML/CFT oversight on 31 December 2025, the EBA’s transfer of its existing mandate represents a significant milestone in Europe’s fight against financial crime. While AMLA will focus on the operational and supervisory aspects of AML/CFT compliance, the EBA will continue to address financial crime from a prudential risk perspective, ensuring the two authorities work in close coordination.

The EBA’s advice therefore serves not only as a technical blueprint but as a strategic bridge between regulatory ambition and supervisory execution. It reinforces the EU’s determination to close regulatory gaps, harmonise compliance expectations and deliver a cohesive, intelligence-led response to financial crime across the single market.

Read the press release here.