Economic Crime Legislation in Practice - Overview, Imminent Developments & Implications

Introduction

The Criminal Finances Act 2017, the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 and the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 together form a central part of the UK’s modern legislative framework for tackling financial crime.

Although these Acts are not new, many of their provisions remain dormant. Some are in force, some are awaiting commencement orders, and others currently have no timetable for implementation. This staggered approach makes it challenging for practitioners, investigators, and clients to be certain of the current law at any given moment.

The Criminal Finances Act 2017 was designed to strengthen the UK’s response to money laundering, terrorist financing and corruption. It also sought to make it easier for law enforcement and other public bodies to recover the proceeds of crime, with or without a conviction. In pursuit of this aim, significant resources were directed to agencies such as HMRC. The current government continues to regard the seizure and recovery of criminal assets as a priority.

Building on this framework, the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 and the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 place particular emphasis on the misuse of corporate structures for criminal purposes. They enhance regulatory scrutiny of limited companies, strengthen transparency obligations, and provide Companies House with greater investigatory and enforcement powers. This has already translated into more intensive compliance monitoring and an increased flow of regulatory activity.

This webinar will provide an up-to-date analysis of the current state of play under each Act. It will examine which provisions are already in force, where government has indicated a clear timetable for further implementation, and which sections remain dormant.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• A concise overview of each Act
• How legislation is brought into force and how commencement orders work
• Practical methods for identifying which provisions are in force at any given time
• The main operative provisions of each Act and their significance for investigators
• What the provisions mean in practice for clients and organisations subject to them
• A review of relevant case law from the senior courts, where available

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Wednesday 18th March 2026

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