The Council has agreed its negotiating stance on strengthened EU rules to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Today the Permanent Representatives Committee, on behalf of the Council, asked the incoming presidency to start talks with the European Parliament. The draft directive pursues two main objectives: (a) preventing the financial system being used for the funding of criminal activities; and (b) strengthening transparency rules to prevent the large-scale concealment of funds.
It is aimed at closing down the financial means of criminals without creating unnecessary obstacles to the functioning of payment systems and financial markets. The text amends directive 2015/849, adopted in May 2015.
[December 2016 draft directive on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing](http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15605-2016-INIT/en/pdf)
[Statements accompanying December 2016 draft directive on the prevention of money laundering ](http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15615-2016-ADD-1/en/pdf)
[Full EU Council Release with Links](http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/12/20-money-laundering-and-terrorist-financing/?utm_source=dsms-auto&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Money+laundering+and+terrorist+financing%3a+Council+agrees+its+negotiating+stance)