Better information for customer due diligence in Iceland

According to the International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Profileration, Financial institutions are required to conduct due diligence on their customers. They have a special obligation to verify customer information. Financial institutions need to examine in detail the relationship between individuals and companies and whether the individuals in question are politically exposed.

The process of obtaining this information can be complex and time consuming, but with the help of Creditinfo it is possible to significantly ease the process so that employees can focus on more demanding tasks. Creditinfo in Iceland have a number of solutions available that can assist financial institutions with due diligence:

Company registration information

According to the guidelines from the Icelandic government against money laundering and terrorist financing, it must be verified that the individuals acting on behalf of a company are specifically authorized to act on its behalf. Using Creditinfo, it is possible to get a detailed overview of the managers of the company, its purpose, registered capital and information about board members.

Beneficial Owners

When conducting due diligence, financial institutions need to investigate the beneficial ownership of their customers. It is common for individuals to own companies through other companies. Such relationships can be complex and it can be difficult to find out exactly who the individual owners are and their individual stake at the company in question. Creditinfo can assist in obtaining detailed information about the individuals who actually own companies and how large their share is. The beneficial ownership report also contains information from the register of limited companies. Now there is also information about the beneficial owners according to the Icelandic Revenue and Customs office in the Beneficial owners report.

Monitoring

It is not sufficient to examine customer information only at the start of a business relationship. It is equally important to maintain regular monitoring of customers and their relationships. With the help of Creditinfo it is possible to monitor changes that take place in information about specific companies, e.g. submission of new annual reports, changes in the company’s board of directors or changes in ownership. Such information is necessary to keep a close eye on your customers. Now it is possible to monitor changes in beneficial owners who own more than 25% of the company in question.

Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) – Coming Soon!

Creditinfo has begun preparing a database that will include information on Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) to assist companies in meeting anti-money laundering requirements. In processing the information, Creditinfo consults with the Data Protection Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Individuals who will be registered in the database will have good access to the information and will be notified of its processing.

Find out about the subscription options available at Creditinfo Iceland. Visit www.creditinfo.is for more information about our solutions and services.

This article was originally posted in Icelandic on the Creditinfo Iceland blog.