Image: The European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager confirmed that the watchdog is continuing its investigation into Google for allegedly engaging in anti-competitive behavior. In an interview with BBC, Vestager said that more probes are ongoing into the tech giant’s role in mapping, travel, flight, and third-party data. Details inside.
Aarti Maharaj
Posted inEurope
SFO Loses Corruption Trial Against Three
Three men charged with bribery offenses by Britain’s Serious Fraud Office were acquitted last week, after the jury was unable to reach a verdict on one count against the third defendant and was discharged. The SFO had charged the trio, former employees of Swift Technical Solutions, for paying bribes to Nigerian officials in exchange for tax breaks. Details inside.
Posted inAnti-Bribery
Italian Lawmakers Toughen Anti-Corruption Law
Italy is taking a stance on fighting corruption after the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved a “contested” regulation, stiffening penalties for balance sheet fraud and graft and other corruption behavior, says a recent report. According to Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index, Italy ranked 69th on the list, which scores countries based on its level of corruption. Details inside.
Posted inAnti-Bribery
FCA Fines Compliance Officer £200,000 in ‘Death Bonds’ Case
Image: Title: FordStewart Ford, CEO of now-defunct investment firm Keydata, has been hit with a record £75 million fine by the Financial Conduct Authority—one of the largest fines ever levied on an individual by the FCA. The British regulator also fined the firm’s sales director £4 million and its compliance officer £200,000, and banned all three from taking on any future financial services roles. More inside.
Posted inFrom the Archive
MasterCard May Face Some Antitrust Issues in the European Union
European Union regulators are set to launch an investigation into credit card giant MasterCard after reports emerged about the company’s anti-competitive practices among the 28-nation bloc and its overall fees system. In a statement, MasterCard said it “is working with the European Commission on the issue as part of an ongoing constructive dialogue.” Details inside.
Posted inAnti-Bribery
Ireland’s Central Bank Hits Western Union with €1.75m in Fines
Image: The Central Bank of Ireland levied €1.75m in fines on Western Union in Ireland after the firm failed to implement “robust” anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls. “The Central Bank action must be viewed in light of the inherent risks in the sector in which this firm operates … and its reliance on third-party agents and outsourced service providers,” said Derville Rowland, the Central Bank’s director of enforcement. Read more.
Posted inEurope
Europe Moves Closer to Meeting Transparency Goals
Trying to reduce corruption risks around the globe, the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has voted for more disclosure of financial information from companies based in specific countries. This new requirement would also work in tandem with the European Commission’s tax transparency package, which calls for the exchange of tax rulings among European countries. More inside.
Posted inEurope
European Watchdogs Calls for Banks to Revisit Business Models
European regulators are urging banks to revamp their business models to reduce risk and enhance a culture of compliance. A joint report issued by the European Union’s banking, insurance, and market regulators says, “Despite numerous actions already taken by regulators and supervisors, both from prudential and consumer protection perspectives, recent misconduct incidents indicated that additional measures are needed to address and prevent conduct of business risks properly.” More inside.
Posted inEurope
EU’s Apple, Amazon, Fiat and Starbucks Tax Inquiry Postponed
Image: The European Commission has placed Amazon, Starbucks, Fiat Finance and Trade, and Apple’s tax probe on hold amid concerns about obtaining information relating to these cases, said European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager in a testimony before the European Parliament. While Vestager did not give a new deadline for the completion of these cases, it does not mean they’ll be off the hook for long. Details inside.
Posted inRegulatory Enforcement
FCA: Banks Should Rethink Derisking Strategies
The Financial Conduct Authority warns that banks should rethink their anti-money laundering strategies in light of reports that financial institutions have nixed services to customers that may pose potential money-laundering risks. The agency says, “These policies and procedures must be comprehensive and proportionate to the nature, scale, and complexity of the bank’s activities.” See inside.
