Horizon scanning has become an essential tool for organisations attempting to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. It refers to the process of identifying, monitoring and assessing emerging risks, with the aim of anticipating future developments before they take effect.
According to Corlytics, by collecting and analysing regulatory data, firms can understand how upcoming requirements may influence their operations and make strategic adjustments that not only mitigate risk but also help shape better regulatory outcomes.
For financial institutions, this proactive approach has never been more important. With regulatory change accelerating across Europe, effective horizon scanning allows firms to maintain compliance, operate more efficiently and avoid costly enforcement action. By staying ahead of new rules, institutions protect their reputations and ensure they continue to meet ethical and legal obligations.
The pace of reform means that the regulatory environment requires constant attention. One of the most significant recent developments is the launch of the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA), a new EU body intended to strengthen supervision across the bloc.
AMLA represents a major milestone in the EU’s wider attempt to overhaul its approach to tackling financial crime. The agency, set up as a decentralised EU authority, has been given a mandate to co-ordinate national supervisors and support financial intelligence units. Its establishment sits within a broader AML package introduced by the European Commission to reduce fragmentation and deliver a more coherent supervisory framework. This includes a new AML Regulation designed to create a single rulebook, a revised Sixth Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6), and the AMLA Regulation that sets out the authority’s powers.
The legislative programme creating AMLA moved quickly. The European Parliament approved the reforms in April 2024, followed by the Council’s adoption in May. By June, AMLA had legal existence, with operations beginning in Summer 2025. Bruna Szego, chair of the organisation, described 2025 as “the year AMLA takes shape” and said the focus would be “building trust, creating structures, and preparing to deliver on [the] mission to protect the Union against financial crime”. The authority is expected to become fully operational on 1 January 2028, headquartered in Frankfurt.
AMLA’s remit is broad, targeting money laundering and terrorist financing risks across the financial system. It will directly supervise a group of “selected obliged entities”, initially expected to be around 40 firms operating across at least six EU Member States and considered high risk. It will also provide indirect supervision more widely and assist FIUs with information exchange, data analytics and the FIU.net system. The authority will play a central role in shaping regulatory standards through its ability to draft technical rules and issue guidelines.
The wider legislative package is expected to streamline compliance by reducing inconsistencies between Member States. For firms identified for direct supervision, AMLA’s role may provide clearer expectations and create more uniform processes across jurisdictions. For consumers and the broader economy, the reforms are designed to strengthen protections against illicit finance.
In this shifting environment, effective horizon scanning is vital. Institutions must track AMLA’s early publications, supervisory agenda and forthcoming standards, alongside updates from national regulators. Embedding AMLA into their monitoring processes will help firms anticipate obligations before they crystallise, adjust internal frameworks and remain compliant as the EU’s new AML/CFT regime takes shape.
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