Current List of High-risk countries

The European Commission has recently updated its list of high-risk countries (the so-called grey and black lists) that exhibit strategic deficiencies in their national anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) regimes. All entities within the European Union subject to the AML framework are required to exercise increased due diligence when conducting transactions involving these countries.

The system of publishing the list of non-cooperative countries or the list of high-risk countries is important for the protection of the EU financial system.

Current developments in the so-called grey list of high-risk countries:

The removal of eight countries, such as the United Arab Emirates or the Philippines, from the list is a strong recognition by the EU of improved anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks and strengthened regulatory controls. It also brings benefits in the form of:

• Reduced regulatory control by EU institutions
• Smooth cross-border operations support for investments
• Maintaining competitiveness in international finance

Countries such as Croatia, Mali and Tanzania were removed from the list of countries subject to monitoring obligations on the so-called grey list. The full list of countries under increased surveillance is published on the following page  FATF.

Current developments in the so-called black list of high-risk countries:

These countries have the most serious strategic deficiencies in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The FATF calls on member states and other jurisdictions to apply enhanced due diligence and, in the most serious cases, countermeasures to protect the international financial system from risks emanating from these countries.

The next assessment will be published after the plenary session in October 2025.