Our summary
The FATF publishes two public lists of countries with serious weaknesses in their systems against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. The “black list” (High-Risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action) covers countries with significant strategic deficiencies. For these, the FATF asks all countries to apply enhanced due diligence, and in the most serious cases to apply countermeasures. The “grey list” (Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring) covers countries that have made a high-level political commitment to fix their weaknesses and are working through an agreed action plan with deadlines. The FATF does not ask for enhanced due diligence for grey-list countries; it asks firms to take the listing into account in a risk-based way, without cutting off legitimate remittances, aid or non-profit work.
The lists are updated three times a year, after the FATF plenary meetings in February, June and October, so the countries on them change often. A grey-list country is removed only after it completes all or nearly all of its action plan and an FATF on-site visit confirms the reforms are in place and sustained. At the time of writing, the latest published statements are dated 19 June 2026. Always check the page for the current version.
How auditors use it: Check that the organization’s country risk methodology, customer risk scoring and screening lists are updated after each FATF plenary. Test that black-list exposures trigger enhanced due diligence and senior approval, and that grey-list status is reflected in risk ratings. Ask for evidence of who reviews each update and how quickly changes reach the systems.