AMLA and the AMLR: what the new authority does

The Anti-Money Laundering Authority, AMLA, was created by Regulation (EU) 2024/1620. Its seat is in Frankfurt am Main. The European Commission confirms that the AML package was proposed in July 2021, adopted by the Council on 30 May 2024 and published on 19 June 2024.

What AMLA is for

AMLA describes itself as a decentralised EU agency that coordinates national authorities to apply EU rules consistently, and that supports cooperation between financial intelligence units. It was legally established on 26 June 2024. AMLA’s own pages say it will directly supervise selected cross-border financial sector entities, with direct supervision starting in 2028 and the 40 entities selected during 2027.

Where the AMLR hands work to AMLA

The AMLR delegates detail to AMLA in many articles. Examples we have checked:

• Article 28: draft standards on the information needed for customer due diligence.
• Article 19(9): criteria for business relationships, occasional and linked transactions, and lower thresholds.
• Articles 16(4) and 17(3): group-wide minimum requirements and third-country measures.
• Article 20(3): guidelines on risk variables and factors for business relationships, due by 10 July 2026.

On 1 October 2026, AMLA published final reports on three sets of standards. See the technical standards tracker for what that means.

Our view

Firms outside the direct-supervision group will still feel AMLA through the standards. Supervisors in Malta and elsewhere will use them as the yardstick. The practical consequence is that AMLA’s consultation papers are worth reading while they are drafts, not after they are binding. Reading them is cheaper than re-papering your onboarding in six months.

What this means for you

Work out whether you could fall in the group AMLA supervises directly, and assume that you will be examined against its standards either way. If you want help with that assessment, use the enquiry form to talk to an expert.

General information, not legal advice.