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FATF Public Statement – 26 June 2015

Public Statement - 26 June 2015

Brisbane, 26 June 2015 - The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global standard setting body for anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). In order to protect the international financial system from money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks and to encourage greater compliance with the AML/CFT standards, the FATF identified jurisdictions that have strategic deficiencies and works with them to address those deficiencies that pose a risk to the international financial system.

Jurisdictions subject to a FATF call on its members and other jurisdictions to apply counter-measures to protect the international financial system from the on-going and substantial money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/FT) risks emanating from the jurisdictions.

Iran
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies or have not committed to an action plan developed with the FATF to address the deficiencies. The FATF calls on its members to consider the risks arising from the deficiencies associated with each jurisdiction, as described below.

Algeria
Myanmar

Iran

The FATF remains particularly and exceptionally concerned about Iran’s failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system, despite Iran’s recent engagement with the FATF.

The FATF reaffirms its call on members and urges all jurisdictions to advise their financial institutions to give special attention to business relationships and transactions with Iran, including Iranian companies and financial institutions. In addition to enhanced scrutiny, the FATF reaffirms its 25 February 2009 call on its members and urges all jurisdictions to apply effective counter-measures to protect their financial sectors from money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks emanating from Iran. The FATF continues to urge jurisdictions to protect against correspondent relationships being used to bypass or evade counter-measures and risk mitigation practices and to take into account ML/FT risks when considering requests by Iranian financial institutions to open branches and subsidiaries in their jurisdiction. Due to the continuing terrorist financing threat emanating from Iran, jurisdictions should consider the steps already taken and possible additional safeguards or strengthen existing ones.

The FATF urges Iran to immediately and meaningfully address its AML/CFT deficiencies, in particular by criminalising terrorist financing and effectively implementing suspicious transaction reporting requirements. If Iran fails to take concrete steps to continue to improve its CFT regime, the FATF will consider calling on its members and urging all jurisdictions to strengthen counter-measures in October 2015.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

Since February 2015, the DPRK engaged with the FATF regarding the deficiencies identified in its action plan developed with the FATF.

However, the FATF remains concerned by the DPRK’s failure to address the significant deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system. The FATF urges the DPRK to immediately and meaningfully address its AML/CFT deficiencies.

The FATF reaffirms its 25 February 2011 call on its members and urges all jurisdictions to advise their financial institutions to give special attention to business relationships and transactions with the DPRK, including DPRK companies and financial institutions. In addition to enhanced scrutiny, the FATF further calls on its members and urges all jurisdictions to apply effective counter-measures to protect their financial sectors from money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks emanating from the DPRK. Jurisdictions should also protect against correspondent relationships being used to bypass or evade counter-measures and risk mitigation practices, and take into account ML/FT risks when considering requests by DPRK financial institutions to open branches and subsidiaries in their jurisdiction.

Algeria

Algeria has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including by issuing terrorist asset freezing regulations. The FATF has not assessed Algeria’s new measures on terrorist assets freezing due to their recent nature, and therefore the FATF has not yet determined the extent to which they address the earlier deficiency identified regarding the establishment and implementation of an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets. The FATF welcomes Algeria’s progress and encourages Algeria to continue the process of implementing its action plan.

Myanmar

Myanmar has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime. However, despite Myanmar’s high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies, Myanmar has not made sufficient progress in implementing its action plan, and certain strategic AML/CFT deficiencies remain. Myanmar should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address these deficiencies, including by: (1) adequately criminalising terrorist financing; (2) establishing and implementing adequate procedures to identify and freeze terrorist assets; (3) ensuring an operationally independent and effectively functioning financial intelligence unit; and (4) strengthening customer due diligence measures. The FATF encourages Myanmar to address the remaining deficiencies and continue the process of implementing its action plan.

ANNEX 2: IMPROVING GLOBAL AML/CFT COMPLIANCE: ON-GOING PROCESS

Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process – 26 June 2015

Brisbane, 26 June 2015- As part of its on-going review of compliance with the AML/CFT standards, the FATF has to date identified the following jurisdictions which have strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which they have developed an action plan with the FATF. While the situations differ among each jurisdiction, each jurisdiction has provided a written high-level political commitment to address the identified deficiencies. The FATF welcomes these commitments.

A large number of jurisdictions have not yet been reviewed by the FATF. The FATF continues to identify additional jurisdictions, on an on-going basis, that pose a risk to the international financial system.
The FATF and the FATF-style regional bodies (FSRBs) will continue to work with the jurisdictions noted below and to report on the progress made in addressing the identified deficiencies. The FATF calls on these jurisdictions to complete the implementation of action plans expeditiously and within the proposed timeframes. The FATF will closely monitor the implementation of these action plans and encourages its members to consider the information presented below.

Afghanistan Angola Boznia and Herzegovina Ecuador Guyana	Lao PDR Panama Papua New Guinea	Sudan Syria Uganda Yemen
Jurisdiction not making sufficient progress
Iraq
Jurisdictions no longer Subject to the FATF's On-Going AML/CFT Compliance Process
Indonesia

Afghanistan

In June 2012, Afghanistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Since February 2015, Afghanistan has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including by issuing an amendment to the AML Law to extend the money laundering offence to cover foreign predicate offences. However, the FATF has determined that certain strategic AML/CFT deficiencies remain. Afghanistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan, including by: (1) further implementing its legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets; (2) implementing an adequate AML/CFT supervisory and oversight programme for all financial sectors; and (3) establishing and implementing effective controls for cross-border cash transactions. The FATF encourages Afghanistan to address its remaining deficiencies and continue the process of implementing its action plan.

Angola

In June 2010 and again in February 2013 in view of its revised action plan, Angola made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and ESAAMLG to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Since February 2015, Angola has taken significant steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime through the adoption of mutual legal assistance legislation on 19 June 2015. The FATF has not assessed this new legislation due to its very recent nature, and therefore the FATF has not yet determined the extent to which it addresses the deficiency earlier identified by the FATF. The FATF encourages Angola to continue the process of implementing its action plan.