Financial Crime

Following our announcement of 24 March 2020: https://www.gfsc.gg/news/article/commission-allows-more-time-firms-complete-key-financial-returns ], the Commission has been pleased to note the resilience of the Bailiwick’s finance sector including the widespread ability to work from home effectively. This operational resilience, taken together with recent States of Guernsey announcements regarding...

The Financial Action Task Force ("FATF") has released a guidance paper regarding COVID-19-related money laundering and terrorist financing risks, which can be accessed directly on the FATF website . This paper and other FATF guidance can be found within the FATF Guidance section of the Commission's Legislation and Guidance page.

In response to operational adaptation that firms are undergoing as a result of restrictions imposed to tackle the spread of Covid-19, the Commission has decided to ease some of the timeframes in the Handbook rules. Specifically, those timeframes relating to the approval of business risk assessments and policies and procedures and for reviews of existing customers have been put back. The changes...

The Commission is undertaking a short consultation on changes proposed to rules and guidance in the Handbook on Countering Financial Crime and Terrorist Financing (version issued on 29 November 2019) to take into account the Bailiwick of Guernsey’s National Risk Assessment (“NRA”) on money laundering (“ML”) and the financing of terrorism (“FT”) which was published in January 2020. It is...

The Commission has received a number of enquiries from firms whose staff are working from home and are unable to verify individuals on a face-to-face basis through physical meetings or where the individual has been unable to provide to the firm a certified copy of their identification data. Rule 5.27 of the Handbook permits a firm to use electronic verification to verify, in whole or in part, the...

The Commission remains conscious of the operational issues being experienced by firms as they continue in their transition to an environment in which the majority, if not all, staff will be working from home. The Commission also acknowledges, and appreciates, the steps taken by these firms to continue to provide uninterrupted services to their customers and clients, albeit sometimes through...

Directors of Licensees will be mindful in these extraordinary times of their duties towards their own incorporated entity, regardless of whether it is a local business or forms part of a larger group of companies. Licensed entities are of course subject to the law, but holding a Licence from the Commission also adds various requirements laid down by the Commission in Rules, Conditions or other...

Amending the Timing of Financial Return filings with the Commission The Commission is conscious that almost all firms will be experiencing certain operational issues as they transition to an environment in which many of their staff will be working from home. Mindful of this and of some significant impending deadlines for financial returns, it is making the following changes to its expectations:-...

The Commission confirms that with effect from close of business on Tuesday 24 March 2020, the majority of its staff will be home working with just a small core staff operating from the Commission’s offices based at Glategny Court. The switchboard will continue to operate during normal office hours and callers will be asked by the receptionist to provide their contact details in order that a member...