The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental policy-making body that sets anti-terrorist financing and anti-money laundering standards. These standards are used to assess the adequacy of laws and regulations in nearly every country in the world. Since 9/11, FATF has increased its focus on regulation of financial services and charities. In doing so, it created Recommendation 8 (R8) on laws relating to nonprofit organizations. Although FATF has taken positive steps since 2012 to prevent abuse or misapplication of its program, more needs to be done to ensure that anti-terrorist financing laws cut the flow of money to terrorists, not to civil society. CSOs must pay close attention to the workings of FATF to prevent new laws that impede their work.
Global NPO Coalition on FATF
Since 2012, the Global NPO Coalition on FATF has helped civil society raise its voice with FATF at the national level. It has coordinated responses to draft revisions of FATF’s Best Practices Paper and Typology Report, as well as working to develop a formal consultation process with FATF. More recently, it has worked for changes in R8 and its accompanying Interpretive Note (see p. 54).
Featured Resources
UN Report: “Soft Law” Bodies Must Integrate Human Rights Into Counterterrorism Efforts
A new report from the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (SRCT), Fionnuala Ni Aolain, focuses on the role of “soft law” bodies – organizations such
Global NPO Coalition on FATF Submits Comments to UN
The Global NPO Coalition on FATF submitted comments to the United National Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism regarding “Soft law and informal lawmaking in the
Summary: Does the FATF Help or Hinder Financial Inclusion? A Study of FATF Mutual Evaluations
In Does the FATF Help or Hinder Financial Inclusion? Mike Pisa of the Center for Global Development examines whether the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Risk Based Assessment (RBA) approach helps developing countries implement its anti-money laundering
Abstract: Civil Society and the G20: Towards a Review of Regulatory Models and Approaches
The normal amount of “tension” between civil society organizations (CSOs) and G20 member governments has worsened, with significant consequences for all, according to a new policy brief, Civil Society and the G20: Towards a Review
Abstract: Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism
In Untangling a Marriage of Convenience: Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism, authors Tracey Durner and Danielle Cotter argue that, although anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) efforts have
Global NPO Coalition on FATF Presents: ABCs for Risk Assessment of the Nonprofit Sector in Your Country
Friday, March 9, 2018 View the Recording Ever since FATF revised its Recommendation 8 on nonprofit organizations in 2016, countries must conduct a terrorist financing risk assessment of the nonprofit sector. FATF requires government