Anti-Money Laundering Directive 6

(AMLD 6)

Directive (EU) 2024/1640 on the mechanisms to be put in place by Member States for the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing (AMLD 6).

Replacing AMLD 4, as amended by AMLD 5, and further strengthening the EU AML/CFT framework through clear rules on the organisation of national AML systems and on how national financial intelligence units and supervisors are to work together.

Level 1

Entry into force

10 July 2024

AMLD 6 – EU unveils tougher anti-money laundering rules: key highlights (14 May 2024)

Level 1

Member State implementation of access to information on beneficial ownership

10 July 2025

Member States must bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the rules concerning amendments to Directive (EU) 2015/849, known as AMLD 4, and relating to access to information on beneficial ownership.

2025

10 July 2025

Level 2

Central beneficial ownership registers

EU Commission to adopt implementing acts establishing the format for the submission of beneficial ownership information as referred to in Article 62 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, known as AMLR, to the central register, including a checklist of minimum requirements for the information to be examined by the entity in charge of the central register.

No specific timeline

Level 2

Central beneficial ownership registers

EU Commission to adopt delegated acts by defining indicators to classify the level of gravity of failures to report adequate, accurate and up-to-date information to the central registers, including in cases of repeated failures.

Level 1

Member State implementation of rules concerning register of beneficial ownership

10 July 2026

Member States must bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the rules concerning beneficial ownership: Articles 11 (General rules regarding access to beneficial ownership registers by competent authorities, self-regulatory bodies and obliged entities), 12 (Specific access rules to beneficial ownership registers for persons with legitimate interest), 13 (Procedure for the verification and mutual recognition of a legitimate interest to access beneficial ownership information) and 15 (Exceptions to the access rules to beneficial ownership registers).

No specific timeline

Level 2

Templates and procedures

EU Commission to adopt implementing acts defining the technical specifications and procedures necessary for the implementation of access on the basis of a legitimate interest by the central registers referred to in Article 10 (Central beneficial ownership registers), including:

  • standardised templates for requesting access to the central register and for requesting access to beneficial ownership information on legal entities and legal arrangements;
  • standardised templates to be used by central registers to confirm or refuse a request to access the register or to access beneficial ownership information;
  • procedures to facilitate the mutual recognition of legitimate interest to access beneficial ownership information by the central registers in Member States other than the one where the request for access was first made and accepted, including procedures to ensure the secure transfer of information on an applicant;
  • procedures for central registers to notify each other of revocations of access to beneficial ownership information pursuant to Article 13(8) (Procedure for the verification and mutual recognition of a legitimate interest to access beneficial ownership information).

No specific timeline

Level 2

Bank account registers and electronic data retrieval systems

EU Commission may adopt implementing acts establishing the format for submission of information to centralised automated mechanisms.

No specific timeline

Level 2

Bank account registers and electronic data retrieval systems

EU Commission may adopt implementing acts setting out the technical specifications and procedures for the connection of Member States’ centralised automated mechanisms to the bank account registers interconnection system (BARIS).

No specific timeline

Level 2

Implementing acts for the interconnection of registers

EU Commission may adopt implementing acts setting out the technical specifications and procedures necessary to provide for the interconnection of Member States’ central registers in accordance with Article 10(19) (Central beneficial ownership registers) with regard to:

  • the technical specifications defining the set of the technical data necessary for the platform to perform its functions, as well as the method of storage, use and protection of such data;
  • the common criteria according to which beneficial ownership information is available through the system of interconnection of central registers, depending on the level of access granted by Member States;
  • the technical details on how the information on beneficial owners is to be made available;
  • the technical conditions of availability of services provided by the system of interconnection of central registers;
  • the technical arrangements to implement the different types of access to information on beneficial ownership in accordance with Articles 11 (General rules regarding access to beneficial ownership registers by competent authorities, self-regulatory bodies and obliged entities) and 12 (Specific access rules to beneficial ownership registers for persons with legitimate interest), including the authentication of users through the use of electronic identification means and relevant trust services as set out in Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, known as the eIDAS Regulation;
  • the payment arrangements where access to beneficial ownership information is subject to the payment of a fee according to Articles 11(4) and 13(12) (Procedure for the verification and mutual recognition of a legitimate interest to access beneficial ownership information), taking into account available payment facilities such as remote payment transactions.

No specific timeline

Level 2

Implementing acts for the interconnection of registers

EU Commission may adopt implementing acts setting out technical specifications and procedures necessary to provide for the interconnection of Member States’ centralised automated mechanisms as referred to in Article 16(6) (Bank account registers and electronic data retrieval systems) with regard to:

  • the technical specification defining the methods of communication by electronic means for the purposes of the bank account registers interconnection system (BARIS);
  • the technical specification of the communication protocols;
  • the technical specifications defining the data security, data protection safeguards, use and protection of the information which is searchable and accessible by means of BARIS;
  • the common criteria according to which bank account information is searchable through BARIS;
  • the technical details on how the information is made available by means of BARIS, including the authentication of users through the use of electronic identification means and relevant trust services as set out in Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, known as the eIDAS Regulation;
  • the technical conditions of availability of services provided by BARIS.

10 July 2026

Level 2

Exchange of information between FIUs

AMLA to develop:

  • draft implementing technical standards specifying the format to be used for exchange of the information referred to in Article 31(1) (Exchange of information between FIUs);
  • draft regulatory technical standards specifying the relevance and selection criteria when determining whether a report submitted pursuant to Article 69(1), first paragraph, point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, known as AMLR, concerns another Member State as referred to in Article 31(1), third subparagraph.

10 July 2026

Level 2

Risk-based supervision

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards setting out the benchmarks and a methodology for assessing and classifying the inherent and residual risk profile of obliged entities, as well as the frequency at which such risk profile must be reviewed. The frequency must take into account any major events or developments in the management and operation of the obliged entity, as well as the nature and size of the business.

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Status update 6 March 2025: EBA consultation paper on the proposed regulatory technical standards in the context of the EBA’s response to the EU Commission’s call for advice on new AMLA mandates.

10 July 2026

Level 2

Central contact points

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards setting out the criteria for determining the circumstances in which the appointment of a central contact point pursuant to Article 41(1) (Central contact points) is appropriate, and the functions of the central contact points.

10 July 2026

Level 2

Cooperation in the context of group supervision

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards detailing the respective duties of the home and host supervisors, and the modalities of cooperation between them. 

10 July 2026

Level 2

AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the financial sector

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards specifying:

  • the general conditions for the functioning, on a risk-sensitive basis, of the AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the financial sector, including the terms of cooperation between permanent members and with observers, and the operational functioning of such colleges;
  • the template for the written agreement to be signed by financial supervisors pursuant to Article 49(8) (AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the financial sector);
  • any additional measure to be implemented by the colleges when groups include obliged entities in the non-financial sector;
  • conditions for the participation of financial supervisors in third countries.

10 July 2026

Level 2

AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the non-financial sector

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards specifying:

  • the general conditions for the functioning of the AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the non-financial sector, including the terms of cooperation between permanent members and with observers, and the operational functioning of such colleges;
  • the template for the written agreement to be signed by non-financial supervisors pursuant to Article 50(7) (AML/CFT supervisory colleges in the non-financial sector);
  • conditions for the participation of non-financial supervisors in third countries;
  • any additional measure to be implemented by the colleges when groups include credit institutions or financial institutions.

10 July 2026

Level 2

Pecuniary sanctions and administrative measures – general provisions

AMLA to develop draft regulatory technical standards setting out:

  • indicators to classify the level of gravity of breaches;
  • criteria to be taken into account when setting the level of pecuniary sanctions or applying administrative measures pursuant to Section 4 (Pecuniary sanctions and administrative measures) of Chapter IV (AML supervision);
  • a methodology for the imposition of periodic penalty payments pursuant to Article 57 (Periodic penalty payments), including their frequency.

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Status update 6 March 2025: EBA consultation paper on the proposed regulatory technical standards in the context of the EBA’s response to the EU Commission’s call for advice on new AMLA mandates.

10 July 2026

Level 3

Pecuniary sanctions and administrative measures – general provisions

AMLA to issue guidelines on the base amounts for the imposing of pecuniary sanctions relative to turnover, broken down per type of breach and category of obliged entities.

Level 1

Member State implementation of AMLD 6

10 July 2027

Member States must bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with AMLD 6, except for Article 18 (Single access point to real estate information), which must be implemented by 10 July 2029.

Directive (EU) 2015/849, known as AMLD 4, is repealed and replaced by AMLD 6.

2028

10 July 2028

Milestone

Risk assessment at EU level

EU Commission to draw up a report identifying, analysing and evaluating the risks at EU level of money laundering and terrorist financing and of non-implementation and evasion of targeted financial sanctions affecting the internal market and relating to cross-border activities.

10 July 2028

Level 3

Establishment of the FIUs

AMLA to issue guidelines addressed to FIUs on:

  • the measures to be put in place to preserve the operational autonomy and independence of the FIU, including measures to prevent conflicts of interest from affecting its operational autonomy and independence;
  • the nature, features and objectives of operational and of strategic analysis;
  • tools and methods for use and cross-check of financial, administrative and law enforcement information to which FIUs have access; and
  • practices and procedures for the exercise of the suspension or the withholding of consent to a transaction and suspension or monitoring of an account or business relationship pursuant to Articles 24 (Suspension or withholding of consent) and 25 (Instructions to monitor transactions or activities).

10 July 2028

Level 3

Exchange of information between FIUs

AMLA to issue guidelines addressed to FIUs on the procedures to be put in place when forwarding and receiving a report pursuant to Article 69(1), first subparagraph, point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, known as AMLR, which concerns another Member State, and the follow-up to be given to that report.

10 July 2028

Level 3

Risk-based supervision

AMLA to issue guidelines addressed to supervisors on:

  • the characteristics of a risk-based approach to supervision;
  • the measures to be put in place within supervisors to ensure adequate and effective supervision, including to train their staff;
  • the steps to be taken when conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis.

Level 1

Member State implementation of the single access point to real estate information

10 July 2029

Member States must bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Article 18 (Single access point to real estate information).

2029

10 July 2029

Level 3

Checks on the senior management and beneficial owners of certain obliged entities

AMLA to issue guidelines on:

  • the criteria to assess good repute, honesty and integrity as referred to in Article 6(1) (Checks on the senior management and beneficial owners of certain obliged entities);
  • the criteria to assess knowledge and expertise as referred to in Article 6(1);
  • the consistent application by supervisors of the power entrusted to them under Article 6.

10 July 2029

Milestone

Exchange of information between FIUs

EU Commission to report to the EU Parliament and the Council of the EU assessing whether the exceptional circumstances notified pursuant to Article 31(8) (Exchange of information between FIUs) are justified.

10 July 2029

Milestone

Consent to further dissemination of information exchanged between FIUs

EU Commission to report to the EU Parliament and the Council of the EU assessing whether the exceptional circumstances notified pursuant to Article 34(3) (Consent to further dissemination of information exchanged between FIUs) are justified.

10 July 2029

Level 2

Cooperation with supervisors in third countries

AMLA to develop draft implementing technical standards specifying the template to be used for the conclusion of cooperation agreements referred to in Article 51(1) (Cooperation with supervisors in third countries).

10 July 2029

Level 3

Cooperation in relation to credit institutions or financial institutions

AMLA to issue guidelines, in consultation with the EBA, on cooperation between financial supervisors and the authorities referred to in Article 64(2) to (4) (Cooperation in relation to credit institutions or financial institutions), including on the level of involvement of FIUs in such cooperation.

10 July 2029

Level 3

AML/CFT cooperation guidelines

AMLA, in cooperation with the ECB, the European Supervisory Authorities, Europol, Eurojust and EPPO, to issue guidelines on:

  • the cooperation between competent authorities under Section 1 (AML/CFT cooperation) of Chapter V (Cooperation), as well as with the authorities referred to in Section 2 (Cooperation with other authorities and exchange of confidential information) of Chapter V and the entities in charge of the central registers, to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing;
  • the procedures to be used by authorities competent for the supervision or oversight of obliged entities under other EU legal acts to take into account money laundering and terrorist financing concerns in the performance of their duties under those EU legal acts.
2030

10 July 2030

Milestone

Requirements relating to the granting of residence rights in exchange for investment

EU Commission to publish a report assessing the measures notified under Article 5 (Requirements relating to the granting of residence rights in exchange for investment) in mitigating the risks of money laundering, its predicate offences and terrorist financing and, where necessary, issue recommendations.

10 July 2030

Milestone

Statistics

EU Commission to publish a report summarising and explaining the statistics referred to in Article 9(2) (Statistics).


EU Commission to report every two years thereafter.

No specific timeline

Level 2

Statistics

EU Commission may adopt implementing acts that lay down the methodology for the collection of the statistics referred to in Article 9(2) (Statistics) and the arrangements for their transmission to the EU Commission and AMLA.

2031

10 July 2031

Milestone

Central beneficial ownership registers

EU Commission to publish a report including the following:

  • an assessment of the effectiveness of the measures taken by the entities in charge of the central registers to ensure that they have adequate, up-to-date and accurate information;
  • a description of the main types of discrepancies identified by obliged entities and competent authorities in relation to the beneficial ownership information held in the central registers;
  • best practices and, where appropriate, recommendations with regard to the measures taken by the entities in charge of the central registers to ensure that those registers hold adequate, accurate and up-to-date information;
  • overview of the features of each central register put in place by Member States, including information on mechanisms to ensure that beneficial ownership information held in those registers is kept accurate, adequate and up to date;
  • an assessment of the proportionality of the fees imposed for accessing information held in the central registers.
2032

10 July 2032

Milestone

Single access point to real estate information

EU Commission to submit a report to the EU Parliament and Council of the EU assessing the conditions and the technical specifications and procedures for ensuring secure and efficient interconnection of the single access points referred to in Article 18(1) (Single access point to real estate information).

10 July 2032

Milestone

Review

EU Commission to report to the EU Parliament and to the Council of the EU on the implementation of AMLD 6.

EU Commission to report every three years thereafter.