EBA explains how it will use its new power to carry out risk assessments in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing

The European Banking Authority’s (EBA) published today the methodology for carrying out risk assessments under Article 9a of the revised EBA Regulation. These risk assessments are part of the EBA’s new role to lead, coordinate and monitor the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) in all EU Member States.

The main objective of a risk assessment under Article 9a is to establish how well equipped competent authorities are to tackle emerging ML/TF risks, in terms of their capabilities and resources to respond to future risks that may arise as well as to intervene early and in a coordinated manner to manage those risks across the single market. 

This methodology sets out how the EBA will identify emerging ML/TF risks, and how it will carry out the risk assessment. The methodology also explains the review and publication process of the outcome of each risk assessment.

Going forward, the EBA will use this methodology to assess whether the use of its powers under Article 9a is warranted.

Legal basis

This methodology has been prepared in accordance with Article 9a(5) of the EBA Regulation, which empowers the EBA to ‘perform risk assessments of the strategies, capacities and resources of competent authorities to address the most important emerging risks related to money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) at Union level as identified in the supranational risk assessment (SNRA).’