The FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting marked a significant milestone in the global efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. Held at the Council of Europe, this Joint Plenary session was co-chaired by FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo and MONEYVAL Chair Nicola Muccioli.The meeting brought together representatives from over 200 jurisdictions and observer organizations for two days of intensive technical discussions aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the global anti-financial crime framework.
The Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) is a Council of Europe monitoring body and a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Style Regional Body which assesses compliance with the main international standards to counter money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the effectiveness of their implementation. It comprises 35 jurisdictions, 32 of which are assessed solely by MONEYVAL.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting updates on the blacklist and grey list.
One of the key outcomes of the FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting was the revision of jurisdictions listed under increased monitoring (commonly known as the Grey List).
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary revised its Grey List by removing Croatia, Mali, and Tanzania, acknowledging their progress in addressing AML/CTF deficiencies. Conversely, Bolivia and the Virgin Islands (UK) were newly added due to identified strategic weaknesses and are now working on corrective Action Plans. The suspension of Russia remains in effect.
Black List Status Remains Unchanged
No new jurisdictions were added to or removed from the FATF’s High-Risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action (the Black List). FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting reaffirmed the need for heightened due diligence and countermeasures concerning existing countries on this list.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Enhancing Cross-Border Payment Transparency.
After the First public consultation and second public consultation on payment transparency, a key achievement of FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting was the approval of changes to Recommendation 16 of the FATF Standards, designed to enhance the transparency and security of cross-border payments exceeding USD/EUR 1,000. These updates require clearer information on payment originators and beneficiaries and promote the adoption of advanced technologies to prevent fraud and errors, aligning with the G20 initiative to make payments faster, cheaper, and more accessible. The revised standards will be officially published on 18 June 2025, with financial institutions expected to comply by 2030.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Advancing Financial Inclusion Through Risk-Based Measures.
To advance financial inclusion, the FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting. endorsed updated guidance that empowers countries and financial institutions to apply simplified AML/CFT measures in lower-risk scenarios. This includes the release of a new National Risk Assessment Toolkit to support tailored risk-based approaches and a revised evaluation methodology that emphasizes proportionality in risk management. These measures aim to improve access to financial services for the estimated 1.4 billion unbanked individuals worldwide, fostering economic growth while maintaining financial system integrity.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Safeguarding Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) from Regulatory Misapplication.
The FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting also introduced new procedures to prevent the misapplication of AML/CFT standards to non-profit organizations (NPOs), ensuring that legitimate charitable activities are not hindered while protecting the sector from potential abuse by criminal elements. This approach balances security measures with the operational freedom of NPOs, reflecting the FATF’s commitment to mitigating unintended consequences.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Updates on Mutual Evaluations and Compliance Procedures.
The FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting approved the mutual evaluation report of Latvia under MONEYVAL’s new evaluation methodology, which assesses how effectively countries address money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing based on their specific risk profiles. Additionally, Czechia, Georgia, and the Slovak Republic remain under MONEYVAL’s Compliance Enhancing Procedures and are required to report progress in addressing technical compliance shortcomings at the December 2025 Plenary session.
Ongoing Suspension of the Russian Federation.
The suspension of the Russian Federation from FATF membership remains in effect, with the FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting emphasizing the need for all jurisdictions to stay vigilant against risks arising from the evasion of sanctions and other countermeasures. This decision highlights the FATF’s continued focus on safeguarding the international financial system from geopolitical threats.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Addressing Emerging Risks in Terrorist Financing and Proliferation.
To address emerging risks, the FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting approved several important reports for publication, including a comprehensive global assessment of terrorist financing risks and updated guidance on countering proliferation financing and sanctions evasion schemes. These resources are intended to help jurisdictions and private sector stakeholders stay informed and responsive to the evolving landscape of financial crime.
FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary focused on strengthening international cooperation.
The FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 Plenary Meeting also strengthened its commitment to global cooperation by endorsing new resources and guidance developed in partnership with the Egmont Group, Interpol, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to improve international collaboration on money laundering investigations and prosecutions. Furthermore, the Plenary supported initiatives aimed at enhancing technical assistance and knowledge-sharing across FATF-Style Regional Bodies, with countries such as Kenya, the Cayman Islands, and Senegal participating in the FATF Guest Initiative to ensure regional perspectives are considered.
Conclusion.
In summary, the FATF-MONEYVAL June 2025 PlenaryMeeting delivered significant progress in refining global AML/CFT standards, improving cross-border payment transparency, supporting financial inclusion, addressing unintended regulatory impacts, and preparing the global network to confront emerging financial crime risks. These developments underscore the importance of a dynamic and risk-based approach to financial crime prevention for both public authorities and private sector stakeholders worldwide.
The next FATF plenary is scheduled for October 2025.
You can find the previous plenary coverage from A&D Forensics here:
Contributor: Ibrahim Anuoluwapo Azeez
