Until now, in order to enhance transparency and fight fraud, information on beneficial ownership has been public.

In a 2022 ruling, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that public access to the EBRD is contrary to Articles 7 (respect for private and family life) and 8 (protection of personal data) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

The conditions of access to the EBRD therefore needed to be modified in order to maintain a balance between privacy and transparency of economic life.

What changes?

As of July 31, 2024, only persons justifying a legitimate interest will be able to access the information contained in the EBRD.

Who will be able to access the EHR as of July 31, 2024?

• The companies : they will be able, after having demonstrated their legitimate interest, to access the information of the beneficial owners of their potential co-contractors;
• The competent authorities and professionals subject to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism obligations ;
• The journalists, researchers, and civil business players committed to financial transparency.

What information can be found in the EBRD?

As a reminder, the information on beneficial ownership that can be accessed in the Registry of Beneficial Owners is as follows:

• name and trade name;
• pseudonym
• first names;
• month and year of birth;
• country of residence;
• nationality.

Finally, it is also possible to know the nature and extent of the interests held by the beneficial owners in the company (or entity).