When Claude Bocqueraz stood before senior industry leaders and policymakers at the Compliance Council roundtable in the European Parliament this November, his message was clear and landed with unexpected force: Simplification is not a retreat from rigorous Anti-Money Laundering / Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) controls. Rather, it is the key to strengthening them.
Delivered as part of his speech in Brussels, Bocqueraz’s remarks challenged a common assumption that in a world of increasingly complex financial crime, from the globalisation of criminal networks to the explosion of crypto assets, rules must become heavier, more complicated, and more burdensome. In fact, he argued the opposite.
And as the EU moves forward with its ambitious AML transformation, the shift toward streamlined, harmonised rules will carry implications far beyond Europe, influencing global compliance expectations, supervisory approaches, and the future shape of cross-border regulation.
Simplification as strategy
According to Bocqueraz, simplification is not about lowering standards. Instead, it’s about cutting through inconsistent, duplicative or outdated processes so that businesses and supervisors can focus on actual financial crime risks rather than wrestling with bureaucracy.
The EU’s new AML package, including the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), the revised AMLD6, and the creation of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) embodies this philosophy.
For the first time, firms across the EU will be operating under a single, harmonised AML rulebook, a shift that replaces 27 national interpretations of directives with one directly applicable set of rules. The result is a clearer, more predictable compliance landscape. Expectations are easier to understand, conflicting interpretations are reduced, and unnecessary duplication in processes can be eliminated.
Central to this transformation is the creation of AMLA, the EU’s new integrated supervisor. AMLA is designed to bring consistency to supervision by establishing common standards, shared methodologies, and aligned supervisory outcomes across the Union.
Alongside this, the framework introduces a smarter approach to information sharing. With a new legal basis for structured public–private partnerships, supported by AMLA, regulators, FIUs, law enforcement, and private-sector firms will be able to share intelligence in a more timely, secure, and effective way.
Consistency also extends to supervisory capacity. AMLA’s role in training, peer review, and uplift will help raise standards across both financial and non-financial sectors, addressing long-recognised gaps and strengthening overall resilience.
These reforms are ultimately about clarity, trust and creating a system businesses can navigate with confidence, regulators can apply with consistency, and criminals will find harder to exploit.
What is the impact on global firms?
Even outside the EU, the impact of this change will be felt. Financial crime risk is international, and AML frameworks increasingly move in alignment with one another. AMLA’s approach will inevitably influence regulators, supervisors, and multinational firms across major jurisdictions.
Cross-border predictability
A unified EU framework will make compliance across European markets more efficient, reducing the complexity facing multinational firms with EU exposure.
Competitive pressure on supervisory standards
AMLA’s more coordinated, technologically advanced model may encourage regulators in other regions to modernise in parallel, especially around analytics, AI use and cross-border cooperation.
Technology, data and talent
Frankfurt’s emergence as an AML innovation hub, fuelled by AMLA, could spark competitive investment in compliance technology and specialist expertise in other financial centres.
Expectations for information sharing
As the EU formalises public-private information partnerships, global firms may see rising expectations for data quality, speed, and cross-jurisdictional transparency.
What should organisations do now?
Whether you are with a multinational bank, a professional services firm or a non-financial regulated entity, now is the time for all institutions to begin preparing. This starts with understanding your exposure to EU markets and the extent of AMLA’s supervisory reach, particularly as the initial group of forty directly supervised firms is expected to expand over time. From there, organisations will need to strengthen their AML/CTF control frameworks, upgrading automation, analytics, reporting capabilities and governance structures to meet the more consistent and data-driven expectations ahead.
And remember, preparation is not relegated to the financial sector. Non-financial businesses, from legal services and high-value goods dealers to real estate, gambling, and manufacturing, will also need to adapt early, ensuring they are aligned with the new harmonised rulebook. Keeping a close eye on AMLA’s emerging standards and methodologies will be essential, as early engagement can help firms anticipate changes before they crystallise into formal obligations.
More than a compliance exercise, this shift offers a catalyst for innovation. Harmonisation and data-led regulation give firms an opportunity to rethink processes, modernise systems, and move beyond box-ticking toward genuinely effective, intelligence-driven financial crime risk management.
Claude Bocqueraz’s speech was perhaps most noteworthy for this point. Simplification is not the enemy of vigilance. It is its foundation.
With AMLA’s arrival, Europe is betting on clarity, consistency, and smarter cooperation to combat financial crime. And although its impact begins in the EU, the implications reach far beyond it, shaping expectations for global firms, influencing regulatory innovation, and setting a new bar for supervisory effectiveness.
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