Compliance & Ethics

Australia Finalizes AML/CTF Rule Changes as Transition Clock Starts

Australia’s overhaul of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework has moved out of consultation mode and into execution, with regulators finalizing the rules that will govern how businesses transition into the new regime.

Poland’s Competition Authority Takes Aim at Renewable Energy Sales Tactics with $1.88 Million in Fines

Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has handed down more than $1.88 million (PLN 7,033,289) in fines to companies operating in the renewable energy sector, signaling that the country’s push toward clean energy will not come at the expense of consumer protection.

Italian Competition Authority Probes Sephora, Benefit, & LVMH Over Marketing of Cosmetics to Minors

Italy’s competition regulator has opened two investigations into major players in the cosmetics sector, examining whether marketing practices may have encouraged children and adolescents to use products designed for adults.

Binance Australia Fined $6.5 Million After Onboarding Failures Exposed Retail Investors to Risk

The Federal Court has ordered Binance’s Australian derivatives arm to pay a $6.5 million penalty (AUD $10 million) after widespread failures in its client onboarding processes exposed hundreds of retail investors to high-risk crypto products.

Barclays Fined €1.65 Million by BaFin Over Missed Voting Rights Disclosures

Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, has fined Barclays €1.65 million after identifying repeated failures to meet disclosure requirements designed to keep capital markets transparent.

Qteq & Chairman Fined $3.9 Million After Failed Cartel Attempts Draw Record Individual Penalty

An Australian court has handed down roughly $3.9 million (AUD $6 million) in penalties against oil and gas services firm Qteq Pty Ltd and its executive chairman Simon Ashton, in a case that makes one point unmistakably clear. You do not need to succeed in forming a cartel to face serious consequences.

EU Signals Imminent Google Decision as Ribera Heads to U.S. for Big Tech Talks

A decision on whether Google has breached the European Union’s flagship digital competition law is now within reach, according to the bloc’s top antitrust official, setting the stage for a consequential week of transatlantic engagement with some of the world’s most powerful technology leaders.