Commission urges Ireland to communicate measures to transpose the directive on EU rules facilitating access to financial information to combat criminal offences

The Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Croatia (INFR(2021)0431), Finland (INFR(2021)0421) and Ireland (INFR(2021)0441) for failure to communicate to the Commission its national measures to transpose EU rules facilitating the use of financial and other information for the fight against certain criminal offences (Directive (EU) 2019/1153).

The Directive aims at combatting money laundering, terrorist financing, and other serious offences, by providing easier access to bank account information by designated law enforcement authorities, including Asset Recovery Offices, and by facilitating better cooperation between law enforcement authorities and Financial Intelligence Units.

It also facilitates the exchange of information with Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation. Member States agreed to transpose this Directive and communicate national transposition measures to the Commission by 1 August 2021.

Since Croatia, Finland and Ireland had missed the initial deadline, the Commission sent all three Member States a letter of formal notice in September 2021. The Member States concerned provided their replies in November 2021. To date, Croatia, Finland and Ireland have not notified any transposition measures to the Commission.

These Member States have now two months to comply with the transposition obligation and notify the Commission. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the European Union.