The European Banking Authority (EBA) has released its fifth and final Report on the functioning of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) colleges.

The Report confirms that AML/CFT colleges are effective tools for information exchange, helping improve AML/CFT supervision across the EU. However, one key objective remains unmet — ensuring that issues affecting several entities within a group are addressed in a coordinated way.

Key findings

The EBA’s monitoring shows that authorities continued to use AML/CFT colleges to share relevant information that supports more effective supervision.
Yet, the EBA observed limited progress on two main priorities identified in its previous report:

1. Applying a risk-based approach
   Some supervisors have not yet fully adapted the way colleges operate — such as the tools used or how often information is shared — based on the level of money laundering or terrorist financing (ML/TF) risk. This means resources are not always focused where they’re most needed.

2. Encouraging meaningful and systematic coordination
   Many colleges still struggle to identify common ML/TF risks and AML/CFT issues, making it harder for authorities to hold constructive discussions or agree on joint actions.

What’s next

From 1 January 2026, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) will take over responsibility for monitoring AML/CFT colleges. The EBA’s findings will help AMLA build and strengthen its supervisory framework going forward.