FAR tells AML-covered firms: don't pause before 2027 rules

Do not pause anti-money-laundering work while waiting for the EU's new rules. Auditors, accounting and payroll consultants and advisers covered by the frameworkFAR need to keep developing their procedures and customer due diligence — and FAR has built a self-assessment test that helps a firm gauge where it stands and develop its AML workFAR.

The EU's new AML package brings material changes for every business covered by the frameworkFAR, including audit, accounting, payroll and tax advisory firmsFAR. Most of the rules start applying on 10 July 2027FAR, but that is no reason to pause work on today's requirements. On the contrary, firms now have room to strengthen procedures, documentation and ways of working well before the new rules take full effect.

The new framework largely builds on principles already in force: a risk-based approach, business-adapted procedures, customer due diligence, ongoing monitoring, documentation and reporting on suspicion of money laundering or terrorist financing. A firm with functioning, living AML work will therefore adapt far more easily than one that waits until the rules enter force.

The package has three main parts: a new AML regulation, the sixth AML directive and the new EU authority AMLAFAR, already established in Frankfurt and operational since 2025. The regulation applies directly in the Member StatesFAR and brings a more uniform EU framework; the directive must be transposed into national lawFAR and covers supervision, cooperation between authorities and registers of beneficial owners. In Sweden the transposition is under way: in July 2026 the Ministry of Finance presented the memorandum EU:s penningtvättspaketFAR with the legislative proposals needed to adapt Swedish law to the EU rules.

For covered firms the changes mean clearer and more uniform requirements on how risk assessments are carried out, documented and followed up. Customer due diligence and ongoing monitoring duties become more specified, and firms must be able to show which assessments were made, why, and which measures were taken to manage the identified risks. Beneficial-owner rules are also affected, with higher demands on reliable data, control of ownership and control structures and handling of discrepancies — firms serving clients in more complex structures need procedures ensuring the information is current, intelligible and sufficiently documented. Supervision is also expected to become more coordinated and risk-based across the EU, so gaps in procedures, documentation or compliance may be judged against a more uniform framework.

A good first step is to assess where the firm stands today. FAR's self-assessment test measures how well the firm complies with the requirements of the penningtvättslagen across the most important areasFAR — it is not a complete review of every requirement in the framework. A good test score is no guarantee the firm meets all requirements or passes supervisionFAR; the test is a tool for identifying strengths, gaps and priority development areas, whose result can feed updates to the risk assessment, procedures, customer due diligence processes, training and internal follow-up. Starting now reduces the risk of running out of time when the new rules take effect.

Legal basis: Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for money laundering or terrorist financing (AMLR)FAR, Directive (EU) 2024/1640 (AMLD6)Riksdagen, and the Swedish penningtvättslagen pending adaptation through the July 2026 memorandum EU:s penningtvättspaket.