North Macedonia
Overview
The current national framework is anchored in the 2022 Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Official Gazette 151/2022) and its implementing measures.
The Central Registry operates the Beneficial Ownership Registry as the national legal-entity ownership-transparency mechanism. The 2025 MONEYVAL follow-up also records progress on transparency of trusts and similar legal arrangements.
The 2022 law provides the current basis for CDD, risk-based monitoring, record keeping and suspicious-transaction reporting to the FIU across the covered obliged-entity perimeter.
Compliance Calendar3
Requirement
Sector transaction reports under Article 64
Authority / Report toFinancial Intelligence Office / Administration
Deadline / triggerVaries by category: several reports are due electronically within 3 working days; bank loan reports specified in Article 64 are due by the 10th day of the current month for the previous month.
Requirement
- Subject scope
- Banks, notaries, money-remittance providers, life insurers, casinos and other categories specifically listed in Article 64.
- Trigger
- Sector-specific transactions meeting the statutory threshold/category.
- Filing channel
- Electronic reports where Article 64 specifies electronic form.
Impact
- Consequences of non-compliance
- Failure to meet sector reporting duties is sanctionable under the AML/CFT law.
- Enforcement authority
- Administration for Financial Intelligence / competent sector supervisor.
- Operational impact
- Map the applicable Article 64 sub-paragraph into each sector’s reporting calendar and data feeds.
Requirement
Beneficial-owner register entry / change update
Authority / Report toCentral Registry of the Republic of North Macedonia
Deadline / triggerWithin 15 days of entry/establishment trigger or within 15 days of the change in beneficial-owner data, as applicable.
Requirement
- Subject scope
- Legal entities and legal arrangements within the statutory beneficial-owner register scope.
- Trigger
- Initial registration or a change in beneficial-owner data.
- Filing channel
- Electronic entry through the registry administrator’s web portal.
Impact
- Consequences of non-compliance
- Failure to enter/update BO data is a misdemeanour under the AML/CFT law; exact fine depends on liable person/entity.
- Enforcement authority
- Central Registry / Administration for Financial Intelligence and competent enforcement authority.
- Operational impact
- Trigger a BO update workflow from corporate/ownership changes and monitor the 15-day statutory window.
Requirement
Cash transaction report · EUR 15,000 equivalent+
Authority / Report toFinancial Intelligence Office / Administration
Deadline / triggerNo later than 3 working days from execution.
Requirement
- Subject scope
- Obliged entities within Article 63 threshold-reporting scope.
- Trigger
- A cash transaction of at least EUR 15,000 equivalent, whether single or obviously linked transactions.
- Filing channel
- Prescribed report to the Administration; sector-specific Article 64 reports are electronic where stated.
Impact
- Consequences of non-compliance
- Failure to submit required transaction information can trigger misdemeanour/supervisory consequences under the law.
- Enforcement authority
- Administration for Financial Intelligence / competent supervisor.
- Operational impact
- Automate linked-transaction aggregation and file inside the three-working-day window.
Authorities & FIU1
FATF Assessment
Measures how fully the jurisdiction has implemented FATF’s technical requirements. It does not measure practical effectiveness.
Measures whether the AML/CFT system achieves its intended results in practice. Follow-up reports do not normally replace these ratings.
Explore 40 FATF RecommendationsSee every Technical Compliance rating and what it means.+
Explore 11 Immediate OutcomesSee how FATF rates whether the AML/CFT system works in practice.+
Regulatory Timeline36
The Government of North Macedonia adopted the National Strategy for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing 2026–2029 with an action plan at its 152nd session on 24 February 2026. UFR published the adoption notice on 6 March 2026.
FATF revised Recommendation 16 to standardise payment information and strengthen fraud/error controls in cross-border payments.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗FATF amended Recommendation 1 and related interpretive material to strengthen proportionality and simplified measures under the risk-based approach.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗FATF revised Recommendations 4, 30, 31 and 38 and related interpretive material to make asset recovery a stronger operational priority, expand tools to trace and confiscate criminal property and improve domestic and international cooperation.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗At its February 2023 Plenary FATF revised Recommendation 25 and its Interpretive Note to strengthen transparency and beneficial-ownership requirements for trusts and similar legal arrangements, complementing the 2022 strengthening of Recommendation 24 for legal persons.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The 2022 law replaces the older legislative baseline and anchors current risk-based preventive, reporting, supervisory and institutional duties.
North Macedonia published a new AML/CFT law in 2022, modernising the preventive framework and extending coverage to newer risk areas including virtual assets.
FATF strengthened Recommendation 24 on beneficial ownership transparency for legal persons.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The Central Registry’s beneficial-ownership system provides the national registration and record-keeping mechanism for legal-entity ownership transparency.
FATF amended Recommendations 1 and 2 and their Interpretive Notes so countries and covered private-sector entities must identify, assess and mitigate risks of breaches, non-implementation or evasion of proliferation-related targeted financial sanctions.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The Basel Committee revised its ML/TF risk-management guidelines to add principles for information exchange and cooperation between prudential and AML/CFT supervisors in authorisation, ongoing supervision and enforcement.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF adopted detailed implementation requirements for virtual assets and VASPs in June 2019, including the application of wire-transfer information requirements commonly described as the Travel Rule. This operationalised the virtual-asset perimeter introduced through the 2018 Recommendation 15 revision.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗In October 2018 FATF revised Recommendation 15 and added the definitions of virtual asset and virtual asset service provider, formally bringing virtual-asset activity into the global AML/CFT standards architecture. Detailed implementation requirements followed in 2019.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The Basel Committee issued Sound management of risks related to money laundering and financing of terrorism, superseding its 2001 CDD and 2004 consolidated KYC papers and integrating ML/TF risk management with prudential supervisory expectations.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF adopted a consolidated revised set of 40 Recommendations integrating AML, CFT and proliferation-financing safeguards.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗Resolution 1737 imposed binding measures concerning Iran’s proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, including an asset freeze on designated individuals and entities. Together with the DPRK regime, it forms a foundational UN counter-proliferation targeted-financial-sanctions architecture.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗Following the DPRK nuclear test, Resolution 1718 imposed binding sanctions including an asset freeze on designated persons and entities connected to the nuclear programme. It became a central UN targeted-financial-sanctions pillar for counter-proliferation financing.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗FATF added a ninth Special Recommendation addressing cash couriers and cross-border movement of currency.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The Egmont Group's official Member FIU Information register records North Macedonia's FIU admission date as 2004-06-15.
Resolution 1540 requires all States to adopt and enforce laws and domestic controls to prevent non-State actors from acquiring or using weapons of mass destruction and related materials. It forms a binding global legal pillar of the proliferation-financing control environment later reflected in FATF CPF standards.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗The UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption on 31 October 2003. UNCAC addresses prevention of money laundering, laundering of corruption proceeds, confiscation and a dedicated asset-recovery framework; the Convention entered into force globally on 14 December 2005.
Current UN depositary relationship to 2003 UN Convention against Corruption. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗FATF comprehensively revised its AML/CFT Recommendations, strengthening preventive measures and extending coverage.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗North Macedonia is listed among the 22 countries participating in MONEYVAL's first evaluation round in the March 2002 review cited by the 2007 Horizontal Review. This confirms membership/participation by March 2002 but does not establish the original admission date.
The Basel Committee issued Customer due diligence for banks, setting minimum supervisory expectations for customer acceptance, identification, ongoing monitoring and risk management. It became an influential global banking KYC/CDD benchmark and was later reflected in FATF standards.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗FATF expanded its standards to terrorist financing through eight Special Recommendations.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗Resolution 1373 requires all States to prevent and suppress terrorist financing, criminalise the provision or collection of funds for terrorist acts, freeze terrorist assets without delay and prohibit making funds or financial services available to terrorists and related entities.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗The Palermo Convention was adopted on 15 November 2000 and broadened the international money-laundering framework beyond drug proceeds through criminalisation and preventive measures tied to transnational organised crime. It entered into force globally on 29 September 2003.
Current UN depositary relationship to 2000 Palermo Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗The UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism on 9 December 1999, creating the treaty framework for criminalising terrorist financing and international cooperation. It entered into force globally on 10 April 2002.
Current UN depositary relationship to 1999 Terrorist Financing Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗Resolution 1267 imposed an assets freeze and other targeted sanctions in the Taliban context and created the Security Council committee that became the foundation of the UN 1267 sanctions architecture. It is a key global precursor to modern terrorist-financing targeted financial sanctions.
UN Members agree to accept and carry out Security Council decisions. This current Charter relationship is not proof of the jurisdiction’s domestic implementation, nor a claim about its membership status on the historical event date.
UN Charter · Article 25 ↗Official FATF history records North Macedonia among the original PC-R-EV membership cohort and identifies Georgia separately as joining later in May 1999. PC-R-EV was established in September 1997; the Council of Europe terms trace the establishing decision to the 600th Ministers’ Deputies meeting on 10 September 1997.
FATF revised the Forty Recommendations to reflect evolving money-laundering methods and countermeasures.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗Representatives of 13 financial intelligence units met in Brussels on 9 June 1995 and founded what became the Egmont Group. The milestone created the operational global network for FIU-to-FIU cooperation and exchange of financial intelligence.
Current profile relationship to the Egmont network. This does not imply membership in 1995; admission history is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
Egmont Group · Member FIUs ↗FATF issued its original Forty Recommendations, establishing the first global AML standard framework.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The G7 established FATF in 1989 to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. FATF became the central global standard-setting body whose recommendations are implemented through national and regional AML/CFT frameworks.
Current relationship. This is regional assessment network participation, not direct FATF membership. The GLOBAL standard remains separate from evidence of domestic implementation.
FATF Global Network ↗The Vienna Convention was adopted on 20 December 1988 and created the first treaty-level international obligation to criminalise laundering conduct linked to drug-trafficking proceeds, alongside confiscation and international-cooperation measures. It entered into force globally on 11 November 1990.
Current UN depositary relationship to 1988 Vienna Convention. This is not a claim that the jurisdiction was already a Party on the GLOBAL event date; the national accession/ratification date is a separate LOCAL/STATUS fact.
UN Treaty Collection ↗The Basel Committee published a Statement of Principles for banks aimed at reducing the risk that banking institutions would be used by criminals or as channels for money laundering. This helped establish the preventive and supervisory side of AML alongside the emerging criminal-law framework.
A Basel supervisory publication does not become domestic law merely because it is GLOBAL. National adoption, supervisory use or incorporation must be evidenced by a LOCAL milestone or source.
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ↗