The Portuguese Transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive

This dissertation analyses the transposition of the 5th Anti‑Money Laundering Directive by the Portuguese State. By examining the Portuguese regime regarding the beneficial ownership register and the enhanced due diligence measures applicable to high-risk third countries, this paper aims to determine if there is a legislative gap between the Directive and the Portuguese legislation. The context of the recent infringement proceedings suggests that the scenario where legal consequences are enforced against Portugal remains distant. Nonetheless, Member States’ efforts should concentrate on ensuring harmonisation against money laundering. As long as there is fragmentation, no regime will be truly effective.