Patrícia Garcia is the author of The Portuguese Transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive

Patrícia Garcia, a principal associate in the criminal, regulatory offences and compliance practice at Morais Leitão, is the author of The Portuguese Transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive - Minding the legislative gap, published by Almedina as part of the Morais Leitão Collection. The book analyses the transposition of the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive into the Portuguese legal framework and is currently available for pre-order, with the official release scheduled for 15 January.

The publication provides a systematic legal analysis of how Portugal implemented the 5th AML Directive, with particular focus on two core pillars of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime: the beneficial ownership register and the enhanced due diligence measures applicable to high-risk third countries.

Building on both the European and national legal frameworks, the work examines whether legislative gaps exist between the Directive and Portuguese law, in a context shaped by recent infringement proceedings and an ongoing debate on the need for greater regulatory harmonisation among Member States. While the prospect of legal consequences being enforced against Portugal remains remote, the author highlights that fragmentation across national regimes continues to undermine the overall effectiveness of AML/CTF systems.

Aimed at students, compliance professionals, financial regulation specialists, law enforcement authorities and legal practitioners, the book seeks to support a clear and structured understanding of the complexities of AML/CTF law and the challenges associated with ensuring compliance with European Union standards. The publication represents a relevant contribution to legal and regulatory reflection in a field that is increasingly central to transparency, financial system integrity and European cooperation.

The book is available on the Almedina website.