Public access to data in light of the right to privacy: the end of publicly accessible register of beneficial owners

Abstract

The CJEU issued a judgment in the joined cases C-37/20 and C-601/20 WM Sovim SA on 22 November 2022. The judgement declared the requirement of the 4th and 5th EU directive on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing to ensure access of general public to information on the real owners of companies and other legal entities to be invalid.

Keywords

• directive 2018/843
• directive 2015/849
• beneficial ownership register
• right to privacy
• C‑37/20 a C‑601/20 WM Sovim SA v Luxembourg Business Registers