While Pope Francis was in Rio de Janeiro for the
celebration of the XXVIII World Youth Day, work has continued in the Vatican. Yesterday, the Vatican Press Office released details
of a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed on July 26 between the
Vatican Financial Intelligence Unit and it’s Italian counterpart, the Unità
di Informazione Finanziaria.
Vatican Autorità Informazione Finanziaria (AIF)
signs Memorandum of Understanding with Italian Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF)
signs Memorandum of Understanding with Italian Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF)
The Autorità
Informazione Finanziaria (AIF), the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Holy
See and Vatican City State, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with its
Italian counterpart, the Unità di Informazione Finanziaria (UIF) of the
Bank of Italy, on July 26.
The Memorandum
was signed in Rome by Cardinal Attilio Nicora, President of AIF, and Dr. Claudio
Clemente, director of UIF.
A Memorandum of
Understanding is standard practice and formalizes the cooperation and exchange
of financial information to fight money laundering and terrorist financing
across borders between the competent authorities of both countries. It is based
on the model Memorandum of Understanding prepared by the Egmont Group, the
global organization of national Financial Intelligence Units, and contains
clauses on reciprocity, permitted uses of information and confidentiality.
The Holy See and the Vatican City State take
international responsibilities concerning Anti-Money Laundering and the
Financing of Terrorism very seriously, and Italy is an especially important
partner for us, said AIF director
René Bruelhart. We look forward to continuing our work with the Italian
Authorities in a constructive and fruitful manner. The Memorandum of
Understanding is a clear commitment to strengthen our bilateral relationship
and will facilitate our joint efforts to fight against money laundering.
AIF became a
member of the Egmont Group in July of this year and over the last several
months signed MOUs with the Financial Intelligence Units of the United States,
Belgium, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands. More are expected to be signed in
the course of this year.
AIF is the
competent authority of the Holy See/Vatican City State to fight money
laundering and financing of terrorism. It was established on December 30, 2010.
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