The package, which includes the Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), will be directly applicable in all EU countries by July 2027.
The study, which surveyed over 100 financial institutions in 20 countries, found that 84% of respondents have only just begun their preparations. While banks appear more advanced, with 87% engaged in initial planning, only 11% have detailed project plans and clear designs. Larger institutions (over 1,000 employees) are more likely to have a high-level roadmap or detailed plan (44%) than smaller ones (22%).
Laura Lica-Banu, Director, Advisory Services, Forensic – Financial Crime, Deloitte Romania, said: “The deadline is closer than it seems. (...) The new framework introduces stricter and more detailed obligations, fundamentally redefining supervisory expectations, institutional accountability, and proportional application of sanctions in cases of non-compliance.”
Financial institutions anticipate significant challenges, with 86% expecting to adjust existing procedures, controls, tooling, and technologies. The primary concerns identified are client data gathering and actualisation (92%) and innovation-related processes (84%).
While 84% expect the new requirements to improve resilience against financial crime, 74% are concerned about the regulations' impact on their organisation.
