These Regulations amend the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/692) (“the MLRs”) by substituting the list of high-risk third countries in Schedule 3ZA for a new list. Schedule 3ZA was originally inserted into the MLRs by the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) (High-Risk Countries) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/392) and was subsequently amended by the following instruments:

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) (No. 2) (High-Risk Countries) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/827);

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) (No. 3) (High-Risk Countries) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1218);

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High-Risk Countries) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/393);

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High-Risk Countries) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/782);

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High-Risk Countries) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1183); and

• the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High-Risk Countries) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/704).

Albania, Cayman Islands, Jordan and Panama are no longer classed as high-risk third countries for the purposes of enhanced customer due diligence requirements in regulation 33(1) of the MLRs.

Bulgaria, Cameroon, Croatia, Nigeria, South Africa and Vietnam are now classed as high-risk third countries for the purposes of enhanced customer due diligence requirements in regulation 33(1) of the MLRs.

A full impact assessment of the costs and savings that this instrument will have for business and the public will be published with an Explanatory Memorandum alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.