Estonia
Counterfeit notes continued to decline in Europe in 2025
ECB records ‘one of the lowest levels’, though Belgium, Cyprus and Czech Republic see uptick
People: Bostic to step down from Atlanta Fed
Plus new appointments in Botswana, Estonia, Slovakia, Singapore and at BIS
AWS outage barely affected Europe’s central banks
Monetary authorities say robust risk mitigation frameworks helped them to largely avoid fallout
People: Estonia selects new governor-designate
Plus senior promotions in Hong Kong, India and Sri Lanka
People: ECB creates task force to simplify regulation
Plus: Kocher takes over as head of Austria’s central bank
Nagel pitches policy ideas to kickstart German economy
Bundesbank president says higher European defence spending is “reasonable”
Russia’s neighbours work to enable digital offline payments
Central banks in Nordic and Baltic countries prepare back-up plans in event of major internet outages
Estonia’s head of cash on sunsetting low-value coins
Bank of Estonia’s Rait Roosve speaks with Levente Koroes about the country’s decision to stop minting one- and two-euro cent coins and its impact on access to cash
IMF review of Russia’s economy ‘postponed indefinitely’
Regular Article IV consultation cancelled after international pressure
Estonia to adopt ‘rounding rule’ for cash payments
Central bank to phase out one and two euro cent coins as they are “too expensive to produce and handle”
Fed fines Deutsche Bank $186.4 million for AML violations
German lender failed to comply with earlier orders and was involved in Danske Bank scandal
Inflation in Baltics set to remain highest in euro area
Charts highlight divergence between eurozone members
Book notes: Shades of sovereignty, by Paul Wilson
An essential and stimulating read for central bankers thinking about the monetary history of their state in relation to its historical perspective and broad international trends
Technology is the best bet in fighting money laundering
Danish FSA chief Jesper Berg says there is a need to think ‘outside the box’ on AML, rather than blame flawed regulatory and institutional design in dealing with corrupt money flows
Three ways to bolster flawed AML/CFT in the EU
The EU needs to significantly improve the structure and resourcing of its AML/CFT oversight if it really wants to combat illicit money flows, write Panicos Demetriades and Radosveta Vassileva
Lithuania cancels firm’s licence over alleged Wirecard money laundering
Fintech business committed “severe infringements” in dealings with collapsed German firm – central bank
Nordic and Baltic countries ask IMF for money laundering report
Move follows string of scandals over massive AML breaches in Baltic and Nordic banks
Baltic central banks aim for joint commercial paper market
Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian central banks to work with EBRD on creating short-term debt market
Estonian governor criticises government’s fiscal stance
Spending was too high before coronavirus, and is making all citizens poorer, argues Madis Müller
Major bank hid money-laundering evidence – Swedish regulator
Swedish FSA fines Swedbank record $386m over failures as Estonian prosecutors continue AML probe
People: Estonia appoints new deputy governor
Appointments in Estonia and India, while one official steps down at the Bank of Israel