Europe’s groundbreaking crypto rules put at risk by delays in implementation
Europe may have taken the lead in attempting to regulate cryptoasset firms before any other major jurisdiction, but a year after the ground-breaking rules came into force, it does not necessarily follow that they are robust or that the industry they are meant to hold accountable is embracing them.
The dos and don’ts of responding to a World Bank integrity audit
The World Bank Group has updated its “Integrity Compliance Guidelines” for the first time in 15 years, and at a time when sanctions cases are on the rise. These developments combined should prompt companies to reassess their anti-corruption compliance practices.
Long-running corruption scandal adds €25.8M fine to billions already paid globally
The Netherlands Public Prosecution Office has fined a company linked to a U.S.-sanctioned Israeli businessman €25.8 million ($29.9 million) for bribing officials in the Congo. The case began in 2018 and relates to bribes paid in 2010-2011, demonstrating the slow and complex process often involved in such investigations.
Compliance must focus on corruption as EU and U.K. seek to tackle rising risks
Corruption isn’t something that happens somewhere else, in other countries and committed by other people. Nowhere is corruption-proof, and new rules being introduced in the EU and the U.K. aim to focus compliance officers on the full gamut of risks in all jurisdictions and every sector.
U.K. and EU commit to extending Russian sanctions and strengthening enforcement
As the U.S. relaxes some Russian sanctions to ease oil flows, the U.K. government has published a new Strategic Approach to Sanctions Enforcement, indicating that it does not intend to relax its focus on prosecuting sanctions breaches.
Compliance must future-proof AI projects to meet evolving regulations
AI implementations are surging, but many new systems are being abandoned after companies have invested in expensive projects. Now evolving AI regulation is adding to the list of reasons why new systems may fail. Compliance must watch emerging regulatory developments and ensure that any new AI tools are capable of ...
Luxury brands told to tighten AML compliance as Dutch regulator fines Louis Vuitton
Money laundering is no longer a concern just for financial services and real estate. It is everybody’s business. But are most businesses adequately prepared for tighter AML rules? What does compliance need to know?
What to do when the CEO is the 'biggest AI risk' to the organization
For the past few years, companies have been grappling with how to control employees’ use of AI in the workplace, but it seems that executives are the most likely to flout the rules and put the organization at risk.
Q&A with Isabella Agius, client compliance head at Apex Group: AML keeps EU fund managers awake
Anti-money-laundering rules are the chief compliance concern for fund managers – and other sectors should take note – according to Isabella Agius, product head, corporate solutions, in the client compliance and regulatory services at Apex Group.
Sanctions enforcement set to increase, but gaps and inconsistency create compliance risks
Geopolitical volatility is causing rapidly changing sanctions regimes, but diverging rules in different jurisdictions create enforcement gaps that are exploited by sanctioned individuals and entities – and the routes used to evade sanctions are constantly developing.
New EU rules will force companies to come clean on pay
New rules that will be introduced this June will require companies based in the European Union (EU) to explain why some workers are paid more money for the same job and remedy any “unjustified” discrepancies.
EU and U.K. demand evidence to back sustainability claims
Businesses must come clean about green. The U.K. and the EU are enhancing and clarifying rules around corporate sustainability claims, with supply chains in their sights.
Q&A with Norm Ashkenas, CCO at Robinhood, on compliance challenges, opportunities and being a strategic adviser
Chief among Norm Ashkenas’ priorities is positioning compliance as a strategic adviser, supporting those leading this global expansion in a complex financial services world. He stresses that compliance puts a huge effort into ensuring that it is not seen as a back-office function.
Prada cleans up supply chain with zero tolerance for compliance failings
Luxury fashion brand Prada has terminated contracts with over 200 suppliers in the past five years after a focused “zero tolerance” supply chain audit aimed at identifying compliance failings.
‘Significant’ rule changes for EU alternative investment funds set for April 16
Significant changes to rules for EU alternative investment fund managers come into force on April 16, but most still have work to do to be compliant, experts warn.
French investigators target anticompetitive practices in largest accounting firms
Major accountancy firms in France are under investigation for anti-competitive practices. The French competition watchdog embarked on a series of “unannounced inspections” and removed documents relating to audit and reporting on Jan. 13.
Venezuela military intervention highlights critical resources as a new compliance hotspot
President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela has sent a message across the world that he regards resources as critical to U.S. national security and will act to secure them. In Venezuela, this primarily means crude oil reserves. However, oil is not the only valuable resource in the U.S. sights.
Experts outline core skills compliance teams need to develop in 2026
Compliance teams will face a range of ongoing challenges in the coming year, as well as greater demands from boards and management for better, wider, and more real-time assurance on an increasing range of risk topics.
EU extends carbon border tax to 180 downstream products and targets ‘loopholes’
The EU is extending its ground-breaking carbon border adjustment mechanism, which imposes carbon pricing on raw materials imported from outside the EU, to 180 downstream products made from those materials.
EU vows to reform financial single market rules to unlock growth and boost investment
Financial markets thrive on consistent rules across the widest markets. This is the thinking behind the European Commission’s package of measures intended to simplify and streamline the zone’s single market for financial services.
EU agrees rules to make payment providers and online platforms liable for customer fraud losses
Payment service providers operating in the EU will have to cover customers’ losses from fraud if their fraud protection regimes are inadequate or poorly implemented under new EU rules.
First standard for EU AI Act targets quality management regime
The first EU standard to drive conformity and facilitate enforcement of the EU AI Act has been published in draft and circulated for feedback among the countries involved, and compliance managers should prepare for it to be finalized and published by the end of 2026.
Top of mind compliance topics in 2026: Finance, immigration, supply chains and sustainability
What will you be doing in the coming year? We asked experts in a range of sectors to gaze into their crystal balls and highlight one legal development or compliance topic that will be critical for compliance teams in 2026. This is an edited version of what they told us.
Top Ethics and Compliance Triumphs of 2025
This year’s compliance triumphs were all born out of compliance fails. In some cases, it was a regulator finding fault and demanding change. In others, acquiring companies noticed something a little fishy in their new acquisition. What formed a compliance triumph in every case wasn’t the mistake; it was the ...
Compliance told to focus on reality as Euro courts brace for slew of greenwashing cases
In 2025, the regulatory focus on greenwashing intensified globally. This trend is set to accelerate in 2026, and compliance has a key part to play in ensuring corporate statements are honest.
What 2025’s AI mishaps should teach compliance in 2026
If 2025 was the year generative AI took off in organizations in every sector, it was also the year we saw increasing examples of the risks of AI mishaps.
Retail energy compliance must focus on resilience and reporting
Cybercrime and national critical infrastructure responsibilities are key concerns for retail energy sector compliance. Resilience is vital for companies that keep the lights on and power financial institutions and hospitals.
EU loosens AI and data rules
Europe has been at the forefront of designing strong—but flexible—rules around data use and the safe development of AI, but the EU recently announced plans to simplify some key measures around data privacy and AI governance, which have met with mixed responses.
EU financial firms must prepare now for new rules on critical third-party arrangements
European banks and financial institutions must prepare now for stringent new rules on third-party suppliers.
EU moves to simplify GDPR and AI Act obligations, raising compliance questions for companies
For the past decade, Europe has led in creating strong but flexible rules for data use and safe AI development. The EU’s new plans to simplify key data privacy and AI governance measures have received a mixed response.
Former Credit Suisse compliance officer charged with money laundering
A compliance officer is facing charges for laundering $7 million in a complex legal case in Switzerland. Swiss prosecutors have charged Credit Suisse, and one of its former employees, with failing to maintain adequate controls.
Why the EU’s new Machinery Regulation is a wake-up call on cybersecurity
The European manufacturing industry is on the cusp of a regulatory shift that promises to reshape how machines are designed and operated.
Pharma sector boom puts pressure on compliance to counter financial crime
Regulation is a matter of life and death in the pharmaceutical industry. Rules to combat practices that can kill have been in force for decades, but tech developments are rapidly creating new risks and focusing lawmakers’ attention on areas where some compliance teams may lack experience.
New regulatory regimes for U.K. and EU ESG ratings firms could increase compliance costs
Environmental ratings are becoming big business as companies seek proof of sustainable and socially beneficial conduct. Firms that issue ratings on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance are set to be regulated in the EU and U.K.
U.K. outlines AI sandbox plan as regulators weigh compliance risks
The U.K. has set out a new blueprint for AI regulation, which aims to slash bureaucracy and ramp up the safe adoption of new and emerging technology to unlock potential and boost investment.
French court calls out alleged deceptive net zero claims by TotalEnergies
Regulators in Europe are focused on punishing energy firms that make deceptive claims on net zero targets, as TotalEnergies recently discovered.
Compliance officers accused of helping criminals run $346 million international payment fraud network
Four U.S. citizens were arrested in California Wednesday in connection with a massive, $346 million international credit card fraud scheme based in Germany, in which compliance officers were allegedly complicit, according to the DOJ.
Sanctions, money-laundering and supply chains top agenda for energy sector compliance
The energy sector faces rising regulatory activity, with more rules and enforcement. Bribery, corruption, and sanctions now dominate compliance concerns, driving rapid change and pressure on compliance officers.
Complying with the EU Data Act – What companies should know
Companies could face significant compliance challenges in trying to meet new EU legal requirements about how companies share data with third parties.
New EU Data Act may impact companies’ GDPR compliance efforts
New rules that have recently come into effect across the EU will allow for greater transfers of data between companies, though experts fear the changes could conflict with Europe’s strict privacy legislation, which protects personal information.
Extra-territorial rules: How to navigate global compliance complexity
Sanctions, tariffs, economic crime, big tech, data privacy, and environmental laws are expanding global compliance risks. Tougher penalties now reach deep into supply chains, making even small suppliers accountable to customers or regulators.
AMLA: What difference will the agency make in the EU’s fight against moneylaundering?
Europe’s massive financial sector has become a magnet for illicit money flowing through its banks and markets. A new EU agency will be taking the problem head-on to fight against money laundering.
Retailers face new compliance pressures from tariffs, sanctions, fraud and cybercrime
Regulators are pressuring retail compliance teams on supply chains, shifting sanctions and tariffs, sustainability, and digital commerce. Rising cyberattacks heighten data security concerns, while large retailers push legal and commercial requirements down their supply chains.
Compliance should prepare for more ESG reporting as global pressure rises
Most major organizations are not changing their ESG reporting plans, despite “regulatory ambiguity”, according to a report by consultancy KPMG. The researchers say this indicates market expectations are driving action as much as legal requirements.
Geopolitical risks among compliance concerns for metals, mining companies
Companies working in the metals and mining sectors face increased compliance checks due to efforts to clamp down on abuses in the supply chain, while “volatile” geopolitical changes make sourcing and transporting raw materials more difficult and expensive.
Inside a Dark Pact: A timeline of events
Amid Syria’s descent into civil war, Lafarge’s quest to keep its $680 million cement plant running led to secret deals with terrorists—and ultimately, a historic U.S. Department of Justice prosecution for aiding ISIS.
Inside a Dark Pact: Danger of their own making and a critical series of missteps
Paris-based cement maker Lafarge thought it was saving a plant—instead, it built a pipeline to the Islamic State of Syria.
Inside a Dark Pact: Background and evolution of a scheme
Middlemen were used and invoices were falsified, but the trail remained. French cement maker Lafarge’s Syrian cement plant began as a business in a war zone, but it soon spiraled into a revenue-sharing agreement with ISIS that led to historic charges of financing terrorism.
Inside a Dark Pact: Lafarge’s terrorist funding and compliance fallout in Syria
Compliance Week’s latest case study investigates French cement maker Lafargeʼs collapse into criminal conduct detailing how sidelining ethics and compliance can lead companies into dangerous territory. What began as “local concessions” ended in funding terrorism—and a historic legal and reputational disaster.
Digital wallets to speed up regulatory checks for recruitment, property transactions
You can already buy a coffee with your phone, but soon you could start a job or buy a house with it. Digital compliance wallets holding certificates and documents on smartphones are gaining traction worldwide.