The European Commission has released a new list of 23 “high-risk third countries” with weak anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) frameworks.

This means that banks and other entities subject to the EU’s AML rules will have to apply increased due diligence in relation to customers and financial institutions from these countries.

Experts in law enforcement, money laundering investigations and cryptocurrencies will meet in the Hague on 6–7 March 2019 for the 3rd Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies.

Co-founded and co-organised by the Basel Institute on Governance, the conference is hosted by Europol and Interpol on alternate years. The 2019 conference will be held at the Europol headquarters.

On April 2-9, ICAR hosted its first international workshop on the use of virtual currency to launder money. Held at the University of Basel, Switzerland, the workshop brought together public and private sector practitioners from countries such as France, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The workshop circled around a case study presented by the FBI, presentations by ICAR experts and interactive group discussions to identify particular challenges and potential solutions for law enforcement.

The 2014 Edition of the Basel Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Index - an annual ranking that assesses country risk regarding money laundering/terrorism financing - is the third annual release published by the Basel Institute. This year’s ranking identifies Iran as the highest risk country, while Finland and Estonia are considered the lowest risk countries.

Right on time for the ART Basel, the world famous international art fair that takes place in Basel every year in June, the Basel Institute launched a public consultation on a Green Paper that sets out Anti-Money Laundering Principles for the Art Trade.

The Basel Institute has been a longtime partner of the B20 anti-corruption working groups, and during the German Presidency has actively supported the Responsible Business Conduct and Anti-corruption work of the B20 by contributing to the development of the final recommendations. These were officially handed over to German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in May. 

E-government generally refers to the use of information and communication technologies to transform relations between citizens, businesses and various branches of government, and includes for example; e-procurement, e-customs, e-tax filing and e-sourcing. 

In September, Ugandan prosecutors secured another conviction for money laundering by a former Swedish Embassy accountant, only a few months after the country's first ground-breaking money laundering trial. The accused, who stole almost EUR 1.9 million, was charged by the prosecution with money laundering, embezzlement, forgery and uttering a false document.