AMLA logoMesseturm in Frankfurt, seat of AMLA since 2025
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), formally known as the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism, is an agency of the European Union, established in 2024 in Frankfurt.
AMLA's establishment has been characterized as "much-needed" by major EU political forces,[1] and it has been described as transformational by a wide range of observers.[2][3][4] It is expected to strengthen the policy framework to ensure the integrity of the EU financial system, as the central component of the EU's anti–money laundering efforts.[5]
History
In February 2018, the demise of ABLV Bank triggered a debate on the structure of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervision in the European Union. A few weeks later, ECB Supervisory Board chair Danièle Nouy declared that it is “very embarrassing to depend on the United States to do the [AML] job. This has to change [...] We need a European institution that is implementing in a thorough, deep, consistent fashion this [AML] legislation in the euro area”.[6]:2 In October 2018, the think-tank Bruegel published a study recommending the creation of a European AML Authority and providing a blueprint for its key features.[6]
The European Commission first proposed AMLA in July 2021 after a series of financial scandals further exposed significant flaws in AML supervision.[7] Described as a "game-changer in cracking down on dirty money in the EU," AMLA is intended to curb illicit financial flows while improving coordination between governmental intelligence authorities within the bloc.[8] On 22 February 2024, it was announced that AMLA would be located in Frankfurt.[9]
The EU Regulation establishing AMLA entered into force on 26 June 2024. That same day, the newly established agency advertised an open position for its chair.[10] AMLA announced in January 2025 that it would have its offices in Frankfurt's Messeturm building,[11] and formally started operations on 1 July 2025.[12]
AMLA expects to have a headcount of around 80 at end-2025, and to start direct supervision of relevant entities in 2028.[13]
General Board membership
AMLA's General Board meets in two different so-called compositions: Supervisory composition for AML supervision matters, and FIU composition for Financial Intelligence Unit matters.
Supervisory composition
As of 13 November 2025, 127 national authorities from 27 countries were members of the General Board's supervisory composition. Two countries, Germany and the Netherlands, were represented each by a single authority, whereas Portugal had as many as ten different authorities represented. By that date, 23 of the 27 countries (all but Denmark, Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia) had nominated a permanent single common representative, from the following authorities:[14]
By contrast to the supervisory composition, the FIU composition of the AMLA General Board includes only one member per country, namely the national Financial Intelligence Unit. As of November 2025, the FIUs of 7 of the 27 EU member states (Czechia, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Spain) were also represented in the AMLA General Board's supervisory composition.[15]
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