Stephen Evans

Luxembourg is set to bear a big responsibility for making the green financial revolution happen.  But are the rules of game clear enough, with reporting set to begin in just over a year’s time? And what role can Luxembourg’s fund service providers play?

The upcoming external audit of Luxembourg’s anti money-laundering (AML) stance is a major test for the country, its financial sector and the regulators. While the CSSF continues to maintain a low public profile, it has ramped up its work behind the scenes to respond to new demands by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body set up to fight money laundering. The regulator is encouraging the industry to adopt best practices.

Luxembourg’s recruiters have spoken about a war for talent for decades. Higher pay is the main attraction of the Grand Duchy for foreign workers, but housing costs and traffic congestion are growing out of hand. Is the country starting to lose the fight?

A cross-industry working group in Luxembourg is seeking new ways to enable financial technology to thrive in Europe’s tough regulatory environment. Updating the country’s financial services outsourcing rules could help unlock the potential of open banking.

“In 2018, 21 banks active [in Luxemburg] for more than three years had a cost to income ratio in excess of 100%, and there could be more this year,” CSSF director general Claude Marx said recently. As in the rest of Europe, Luxembourg’s B2C banks in particular are under diverse pressures. Some tough strategic choices are required.