Financial Crime

Licensees and registrants are advised that the Commission is changing the way it distributes its annual license fee invoices, commencing with the 2021 annual fees which are due to be sent out next month. Generic email addresses for all regulated and registered entities have been prepared which will be used to send out the annual fee invoices for 2021. If you wish to check which email address the...

The Commission has today updated Appendix I to the Handbook as a result of the outcomes of the FATF plenary held 21-23 October 2020 where it was announced that Iceland and Mongolia are no longer under increased monitoring by FATF. Iceland and Mongolia have strengthened the effectiveness of their AML/CFT regimes and addressed related technical deficiencies to meet the commitments in their...

During the month of September the Commission ran ten interactive sector specific workshops to just under 400 attendees in Guernsey and Alderney, to assist firms in developing their mitigation of the money laundering and terrorist financing risks to their business as identified in the National Risk Assessment. The Commission representatives provided an overview of the inherent money laundering and...

The Commission wishes to remind all financial services businesses and prescribed businesses (with the exception of personal fiduciary licensees) that the Financial Crime Risk Return (“the Return”) is due for submission by 31 October 2020. The Return can be found through the Commission’s Online Submissions Portal, located here: https://submit.gfsc.gg/ Further information on the background to the...

MONEYVAL has released a report titled "Money laundering and terrorism financing trends in MONEYVAL jurisdictions during the COVID-19 crisis”, which can be accessed directly on the MONEYVAL website. The report is based upon input from MONEYVAL members, including Guernsey.

At the joint presentations on the National Risk Assessment (“NRA”) from the Commission, Policy and Resources Committee and Financial Intelligence Service in February, it was highlighted that the Commission would be running a series of interactive workshops to assist firms in developing their mitigation of the money laundering and terrorist financing risks to their business as identified in the NRA...

The Commission today launches a consultation paper on proposals for increasing the licence fees paid by firms (please click here for a copy of the consultation paper). The consultation period will close on Tuesday 15 September. The proposals are for an increase of 2.1% across all sectors, based upon Guernsey’s RPI, together with the introduction of a modest fee for fast track applications of £500...

The Commission has today issued its report on the thematic review of source of funds / source of wealth in Guernsey’s private wealth management sector. The review was undertaken during the second half of 2019. A copy of the thematic review can be found by clicking here. Whilst the review focused on sectors identified in Bailiwick of Guernsey’s National Risk Assessment as being most exposed to the...

The COVID 19 pandemic resulted in many licensees being unable to operate in their usual office environments. Entering Phase 5, a return to normal activity in the Bailiwick, has seen many licensees return to their offices but we are conscious that adoption of home working has accelerated. Information security risks can increase with home working and therefore we are highlighting a non-exhaustive...