Europe


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EU businesses will soon have to report on supply chains and sustainability. Not all are ready

2024-10-25T15:38:00+01:00By

Supply chains are about to become the next big thing in sustainability compliance. However, many organizations still lack the data and assurance capabilities to track sustainability and human rights activities across their extended supply chains – which is required by the EU’s CS3D. Many others that fall out of scope ...

AI Act

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Pace of innovation will make EU AI Act hard to enforce, experts say

2024-10-17T16:22:00+01:00By

Concerns about how robustly European member states may enforce the EU AI Act, which took effect on Aug. 1, are divided between if regulators will take a “light touch” approach or a sledgehammer for noncompliance. One thing’s for sure, the pace of AI innovation will make enforcement very difficult.

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Event

Photo gallery: Compliance Week Europe 2024

2024-10-15T20:40:00+01:00By

Compliance Week Europe, held Oct. 15-16 in Amsterdam in partnership with our sister organization the Internation Compliance Association, gathered more than 200 GRC professionals across industries. Check out some of the sights from the event.

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What’s your risk appetite? EU firms grapple with ‘ridiculously complex’ ESG reporting rules

2024-10-14T18:26:00+01:00By

Discussions on the increasingly complex ESG rules in the EU were the crux of some conversations at Compliance Week Europe, a two-day conference in Amsterdam Oct. 15-16. The event brought together Compliance Week and its sister organization, the International Compliance Association, and more than 200 GRC professionals across industries.

Apple_Intelligence

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Companies are slowing AI launches in Europe, some say European Union regulations are why

2024-10-08T13:03:00+01:00By

The European Union’s Digital Markets Act is forcing many Big Tech companies to postpone the launch of artificial intelligence-powered features, like Apple Intelligence, over user privacy and data security concerns.

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AI misuse could lead to sanctions from multiple regulators, experts warn

2024-09-27T16:22:00+01:00By

The proliferation of AI, as well as the promised business cases promoting its use, has led companies around the world to quickly invest in the technology. Executives hope these AI tools will improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and help them stay competitive. But it could lead to just the opposite.

Barclays

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Barclays is axing its bonus caps. Is it also ditching good governance?

2024-09-23T18:50:00+01:00By

Four years post-Brexit, London-based Barclays became the first British bank to scrap bonus caps for its traders that were meant to curb excessive risk-taking with client cash, improve corporate governance, and restore faith in an industry most working people still hold responsible for 15 years of economic misery. 

FTC

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FTC sounds alarm on business practices turning into ‘vast surveillance’

2024-09-20T14:07:00+01:00By

The Federal Trade Commission took aim at the business models of some of the world’s largest companies, publishing a years-long study that decried technologies that have created “vast surveillance” networks that expose people to “a host of harms” and violate children’s privacy laws.

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An Amsterdam discussion on increased role of CCOs

2024-09-13T12:40:00+01:00By

Compliance Week and its sister organization the International Compliance Association will bring together more than 200 GRC professionals for Compliance Week Europe Oct. 15-16 in Amsterdam to discuss how they’re making sense of the constantly changing regulatory landscape.

ESGReporting

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All hands on deck needed to get ESG disclosures right, report finds

2024-08-19T13:29:00+01:00By

Multiple emerging environmental, social, and governance and disclosure standards pose legal and operational risks to many companies, but also opportunities to improve reporting and get ahead of requirements, a new report found.

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DORA set to enhance cyber resilience requirements for EU financial firms

2024-08-05T13:01:00+01:00By

The European Union’s Digital Operational Resilience Act, which is set to take effect next year, will require financial services firms to implement stronger measures to protect not only themselves from disruption caused by cyberattacks but also the sector as a whole.

GDPRgavel

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Lithuanian DPA orders Vinted to pay $2.6M over GDPR violations

2024-07-16T17:25:00+01:00By

The data protection authority of Lithuania levied a fine of 2.4 million euros (U.S. $2.6 million) against Vinted UAB, an online clothing trading and exchange platform, for alleged violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

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European Commission informs X it may be in breach of Digital Services Act

2024-07-15T20:36:00+01:00By

The European Commission informed X, formerly Twitter, that it may be the first company found to be in violation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act in areas “linked to dark patterns, advertising transparency, and data access for researchers.”

ESG

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EU agencies examine efforts to identify and monitor examples of greenwashing

2024-06-06T17:00:00+01:00By

The European Securities and Markets Authority, European Banking Authority, and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority issued reports on greenwashing in the financial sector, describing how they plan to call out examples of false or misleading sustainability claims.

London Financial District

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Reignited calls to tighten up AML in London, crown dependencies

2024-06-06T13:52:00+01:00By

Despite repeated interventions, fines, and negative publicity, money laundering is rife in U.K. financial services firms, according to Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell.

Business data

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Big Tech data for finance: Will FCA plans set trend?

2024-06-04T12:26:00+01:00By

Plans in the United Kingdom to share Big Tech data with financial services firms could prompt other industry regulators to follow suit or result in “unintended consequences” that see Meta, Google, and others growing market share.

Ericsson

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Ericsson completes DOJ-imposed compliance monitorship

2024-06-03T18:48:00+01:00By

Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson announced the conclusion of the independent compliance monitorship imposed on the company following its 2019 settlement for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

London dark

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Experts express skepticism toward ‘challenging’ SFO strategy

2024-05-31T15:47:00+01:00By

The U.K. Serious Fraud Office last month published its five-year strategic plan outlining how it intends to improve information gathering and international cooperation, as well as its enforcement record.

N26

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BaFin relaxes growth restrictions on N26 following AML improvements

2024-05-29T20:31:00+01:00By

German financial regulatory authority BaFin lifted growth restrictions on N26, after the digital bank made improvements to its anti-money laundering program.

HSBC

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HSBC fined $8M by FCA for mishandling customers in default

2024-05-23T15:55:00+01:00By

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority fined HSBC nearly £6.3 million (U.S. $8 million) for failing to properly consider the financial position of customers who missed payments.

N26 office

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N26 fined $9.6M for not timely filing AML reports to BaFin

2024-05-22T18:31:00+01:00By

Germany’s financial supervisory authority issued a fine of €9.2 million euros against mobile bank N26 for “systematically” submitting late anti-money laundering reports.

Citi building

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Citi unit fined $78.6M by U.K. regs for trading control failures

2024-05-22T18:30:00+01:00By

The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority combined to fine a London-based Citigroup subsidiary approximately £61.7 million (U.S. $78.6 million) for control failures related to its trading system.

Messaging apps

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Survey: Social media remains vexing issue for financial firms

2024-05-21T12:45:00+01:00By

A recent survey by surveillance technology firm SteelEye found most financial institutions do not monitor their employees’ use of social media or factor in market risks exacerbated by social media posts.

Volkswagen

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Senate report cites VW, BMW, JLR for potential forced labor violations

2024-05-20T19:16:00+01:00By

A U.S. Senate report found three European automakers—Volkswagen, BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover—sold cars in the United States with parts sourced from a supplier suspected of using forced labor from China’s Xinjiang region.

ESG money

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ESMA guidelines tackle greenwashing via fund names

2024-05-17T17:27:00+01:00By

The European Securities and Markets Authority published its final report containing guidance for the use of environmental, social, and governance- and sustainability-related terminology in fund names.

Crowe

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Crowe U.K. dinged $181K by FRC for Aseana Properties audit failures

2024-05-14T16:30:00+01:00By

Crowe U.K. was assessed a penalty of £144,000 (U.S. $181,000) by the U.K. Financial Reporting Council for failures in its audit of Aseana Properties Limited’s financial statements for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019.

London business district

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FRC fines PwC, EY for London Capital & Finance audit failings

2024-05-07T18:58:00+01:00By

Big Four firms PwC and EY were each penalized by the Financial Reporting Council for alleged shortcomings during their respective audits at collapsed investment firm London Capital & Finance.

DOJ

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DOJ orders Hahn Air to pay $27M over travel fee false claims

2024-05-03T17:07:00+01:00By

Hahn Air Lines and its U.S. subsidiary agreed to pay $26.8 million to settle alleged violations of the False Claims Act over knowingly failing to provide remittance for travel fees it collected from commercial airline passengers flying into or within the United States.

GreenLaw

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EU charts green path forward with ECT withdrawal, new regs

2024-05-03T13:34:00+01:00By

The impending decision by the European Parliament to withdraw from the international Energy Charter Treaty and adopt further climate rules sets a clear direction for green regulations in the region.

GDPRgavel

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What’s the problem for GDPR repeat offenders?

2024-05-02T14:57:00+01:00By

The General Data Protection Regulation has been in force for nearly six years. Some industries—and some companies—have been more prone to fall foul of the rules than others.

Lloyds

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Lloyds decision to cut risk staff draws criticism, defenders

2024-04-30T17:25:00+01:00By

Lloyds Banking Group is cutting jobs in its risk management function after an internal review reportedly found it was a “blocker” to the organization’s strategic transformation.

Payments

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U.K. regs up pressure on debt collection practices

2024-04-29T11:44:00+01:00By

Debt collection has become a hot topic as U.K. regulators pile pressure on utilities and financial services companies to improve how they treat customers in arrears.

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Wirecard whistleblower laments EU speak-up protection inconsistencies

2024-04-29T11:39:00+01:00By

The European Union’s strong stance on whistleblower protection has been undermined by member states’ wildly different approaches to punishing organizations that fail to safeguard people who raise concerns, says Wirecard whistleblower Pav Gill.

TikTok

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TikTok scrutiny mounts across globe amid EU, U.S. crackdowns

2024-04-26T17:40:00+01:00By

TikTok is suspending new features amid an inquiry by the European Commission into its compliance with the Digital Services Act, all while responding to a U.S. ban just signed into law.

Avast

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Czech DPA fines Avast $15M over GDPR violations

2024-04-25T16:33:00+01:00By

The Czech Republic’s data protection authority issued a fine of 351 million Czech koruna (U.S. $15 million) against antivirus software vendor Avast for alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Accounting

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Accountancy bodies urge ethical behavior amid exam cheating scandals

2024-04-25T12:50:00+01:00By

Trust in the integrity of corporate finance and auditing is vital, but repeated scandals over exam cheating at the largest multinational firms are denting faith in the system globally.

Big Tech

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FCA exploring how Big Tech data can aid financial services

2024-04-24T15:05:00+01:00By

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority reemphasized its desire to work with Big Tech firms to examine how their data might be useful to the financial industry.

ESG concept

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FCA publishes guidance on anti-greenwashing rule

2024-04-23T19:29:00+01:00By

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority issued new guidance on how to comply with its upcoming anti-greenwashing rule, which is set to take effect May 31.

Commerzbank

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BaFin fines Commerzbank $1.6M over supervision, AML lapses

2024-04-23T15:57:00+01:00By

Germany’s financial supervisory authority issued total fines of €1.45 million (U.S. $1.6 million) against Commerzbank AG to settle allegations of inadequate monitoring and anti-money laundering controls.

ESG vector

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Report: Poor awareness of supply chain disclosure regs leaving firms exposed

2024-04-23T15:44:00+01:00By

Compliance failures in the supply chain are hampering organizations’ efforts to implement environmental, social, and governance initiatives and meet disclosure requirements, according to a new report by U.K. law firm Burges Salmon.

SFO

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SFO outlines five-year strategy amid ‘increasing pace of change’

2024-04-22T13:00:00+01:00By

The U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office said in a five-year strategic plan it’s “struggled to keep pace with demand” as ballooning casework shows no signs of slowing down.

EU data flag

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EDPB decision sparks ‘consent or pay’ debate for Big Tech firms

2024-04-19T19:16:00+01:00By

Big Tech firms might need to rethink their plans to charge users for not selling their personal data for behavioral advertising following a decision by Europe’s primary data regulator.

Facial recognition scan

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Focused on consumer privacy? Don’t forget employees’ rights

2024-04-17T15:09:00+01:00By

The implications of a privacy rights case involving a U.K.-based Uber Eats driver underscore a popular belief that companies prioritize protecting the personal information of their customers over the data rights of their employees.

Treasury

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U.S., U.K. ban new Russian metal imports

2024-04-15T15:38:00+01:00By

The U.S. Treasury Department, in coordination with the United Kingdom, is clamping down harder on Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine by banning the import of Russian-origin aluminum, copper, and nickel.

European Court of Human Rights

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ECHR ruling opens door to climate change litigation on basis of human rights

2024-04-15T13:47:00+01:00By

By holding the Swiss government accountable for failing to do more to limit climate change, a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights might have significant implications for legislators and organizations in other countries across the European Union.

KPMG

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KPMG Netherlands fined record $25M by PCAOB for exam cheating

2024-04-10T18:35:00+01:00By

KPMG Netherlands agreed to pay a record $25 million penalty levied by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for allegedly allowing widespread cheating by employees on internal training exams and misinforming regulators about the misconduct.

ESG

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Experts: ESG gone mainstream, but new regs still create headaches

2024-04-09T18:24:00+01:00By

Environmental, social, and governance goals have gained acceptance from senior leadership because of upward pressure from employees, investors, and customers, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.

Grant Thornton

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Grant Thornton UK dinged $51K for pension fund audit lapses

2024-04-09T17:23:00+01:00By

Grant Thornton UK was assessed a penalty of £40,000 (U.S. $51,000) by the Financial Reporting Council for alleged procedure failures affecting the firm’s audit of a local authority’s pension fund.

Agriculture

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U.K. border controls on EU goods evoke supply chain disruption concerns

2024-04-09T14:10:00+01:00By

The imposition of full border controls on goods entering the United Kingdom from the European Union will affect importers and their EU suppliers, and both are advised to prepare for increased checks, possible delays, and new charges.

Volkswagen

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SEC concludes VW emissions case with $48.8M judgment

2024-04-08T17:05:00+01:00By

Volkswagen Group of America Finance was ordered to pay $48.75 million as part of a final judgment obtained by the Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve historical violations related to the automaker’s emissions scandal.