The European Central Bank (ECB) has today published the 2014 statistics on non-cash payments, which comprise indicators on access to and use of payment services and terminals by the public, as well as volumes and values of transactions processed through payment systems. Statistics are published for each EU Member State, in addition to EU and euro area aggregates and comparative data. Several enhancements were brought to the data thanks to an enhanced methodology, also taking into account the effect of the fuller implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).
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By Andy Scherpenberg

Still too few organisations realize just how much recent evolutions in the digital world have changed the spectrum, efficacy, depth and invisibility of fraud. The far-reaching automation and sophistication of the systems of cybercriminals allow them to do a huge amount of damage with a very small team and very little effort. But with terrifying results, if you realize that fraud in 2014 is estimated to cost roughly around 3 trillion euros (yes, that’s a 3 with 12 zeros after it). Continue reading…

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), alongside the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), has today published new rules in relation to whistleblowing. These changes follow recommendations in 2013 by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards (PCBS) that banks put in place mechanisms to allow their employees to raise concerns internally (i.e. to ‘blow the whistle’) and that they appoint a senior person to take responsibility for the effectiveness of these arrangements.

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Delta Lloyd announces the succesfull completion of the sale of Delta Lloyd Deutschland to Athene Holding Ltd (”Athene”). The German regulator (BaFin) has approved the transaction, which was announced on 15 January 2015.

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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) Boards have appointed new members to four decision-making committees: the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee (RDC) and Competition Decisions Committee and the PSR’s Enforcement Decisions Committee (EDC) and Competition Decisions Committee.
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by Evert-Jan Lammers

Last week Transparency International (TI) has announced its global Strategy 2020. One of the focal points of the strategy is “More prevention”. TI Greece’s representative was serious when he joked: “More prevention until 2020 is not enough for Greece. I need two generations to achieve real change.” He hit the nail on the head. A non-governmental organization better spends its time and money on the next generation than on the current one.

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Huron Consulting Group recently announced that John Loveland has joined the Company as a managing director in its Huron Legal practice. Loveland will help clients reduce and mitigate the risks associated with the proliferation of data and information assets.
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Oxford Economics and Control Risks recently launched an innovative risk management enterprise that assists companies in their strategic decision-making. Economic and political risks are more interconnected than ever before. The strategic success of an organisation relies increasingly on its ability to anticipate and react to future shocks caused by this complex relationship between economics and politics.
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