EU adds Lebanon in money laundering list, removes UAE

The European Union has added Lebanon to its list of countries considered high-risk for money laundering, while working to remove the United Arab Emirates from the list, Al-Monitor reported on June 11th.

The designation of Lebanon may increase scrutiny of financial transactions within the country and complicate access to funding from EU institutions. The decision will come into effect unless vetoed by the European Parliament or EU member states in the coming weeks.

Lebanon’s designation follows years of financial instability, governance challenges, and ongoing concerns about the funding of non-state actors such as Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. The EU pushed for enhanced oversight and risk mitigation, saying this won’t influence humanitarian and development aid to Lebanon.

Al-Monitor