During the EP plenary session (16-19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs discuss and vote on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing. Statements by Krišjānis KARIŅŠ (EPP, LV), Co-rapporteur, Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL), Co-rapporteur, Vĕra JOUROVÁ, Member of the EC in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, and Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI). Illustrative pictures

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

vote

JOUROVÁ, Věra (EC)

fight against terrorism (T)

fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering (T)

KARIŅŠ, Krišjānis (EPP, LV)

SARGENTINI, Judith (Greens/EFA, NL)

HAUTALA, Heidi (Greens/EFA, FI)

Prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing: extracts from the debate (18/04) extracts from the vote and illustrative pictures

SOUNDBITE (Latvian), Kri&scaron;jānis KARIŅ&Scaron; (EPP, LV), Co-rapporteur,  <p>What results have we achieved? We have now in place a number of weapons if you like that will help us to mitigate the risk of money laundering through the European banking system. Firstly, we have the registry of beneficial ownership.</p>

SOUNDBITE (Latvian), Kri&scaron;jānis KARIŅ&Scaron; (EPP, LV), Co-rapporteur, What is new in the directive are the inclusion crypto currencies, such as bitcoin and alike.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL), Co-rapporteur,  <p>Every year billions go missing into the tax funds because individuals manage to go through a whole chain of trusts and companies to avoid paying tax. So in this way we are going to be counter-acting people who are avoiding paying their tax. We see that criminals are getting cleverer all the time, they use different ways of money laundering and of financing terrorism, the use of bitcoin and anonymous pre-paid cards.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Vĕra JOUROV&Aacute;, Member of the EC in charge of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, The revised rules set a new world standard on transparency of beneficial ownership. By making beneficial ownership information available to competent authorities and to the public as regards companies it will make sure opaque structures cannot be used to facilitate money laundering. Secondly,  the revised directive addresses new risks of terrorist funding, it will virtual currency platforms into its scope and restrict the anonymous use of pre-paid cards.

Opening of the vote by EP Vice-President Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) and members voting (5 shots)

Sign showing the result of the vote: 574 votes in favour, 13 against and 60 abstentions (2 shots&deg;

Illustrations showing person using vitrual currency platform; handling of artworks; person sourcing pre-paid cards online.(11 shots)