The Swedish Government has proposed a duty to notify and report the import and export of cash

On 6 November 2025, the Swedish Government submitted a referral to the Council on Legislation titled “Checks on Cash at the Internal Border”. The referral sets out a proposal to introduce a duty to notify and report the import and export of cash to and from other EU Member States. The principal aim is to counter the criminal economy through tighter controls. The Government proposes that the legislative amendments enter into force on 1 April 2026. At Morling Consulting, our specialist lawyers help businesses across Europe understand and implement new requirements under anti-money laundering legislation.

Background to the proposed duty to notify and report

Significant amounts of cash are exported from Sweden each year, often linked to the proceeds of crime. For criminal actors, cash exports have been a central method to launder money, finance terrorism and reinvest in serious organised crime. Cash is most often moved out of Sweden via other EU Member States. At present, there is no framework in Sweden empowering Swedish Customs to control transactions involving the export of cash to other EU countries. To counter the criminal economy, the Government has therefore proposed introducing a duty to notify and report when cash is imported to or exported from Sweden to other EU countries.

What does the bill mean and what actions are required of businesses and private individuals?

The duty to notify and report will apply to the transport or export of cash amounting to at least EUR 10,000. Notifications for relevant transactions must be made to Swedish Customs. In the referral, “cash” is defined as “cash, transferable bearer instruments, commodities used as highly liquid stores of value and prepaid cards”. The Government further proposes granting Swedish Customs powers to ensure compliance, including searching baggage, conducting body searches and temporarily detaining cash for control purposes. Failure to comply with the duty to notify or report may result in fines.

Expected crime prevention effects of the proposal

Most consultation bodies have supported the proposal or raised no objections. The Swedish Bar Association has, however, expressed doubts as to whether the amendments will achieve their purpose, noting that criminal groups cannot be expected to comply with the new rules and should instead be addressed through the anti-money laundering framework. The proposals do not form part of the anti-money laundering framework, but instead entail amendments to the Act on Internal Borders, the Customs Act, the Act on Account and Safe-Deposit Box Systems, the Act on the Processing of Data in Swedish Customs’ operations and the Customs Powers Act. The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FI) has assessed the situation differently and considers the proposed measures an effective means of preventing and countering the criminal economy. It also stresses the importance of granting Swedish Customs the powers needed to combat organised crime. Finally, research has been presented in support of the amendments. Studies indicate that stricter controls can be effective in combatting organised crime by, for example, increasing deterrence and risk awareness. Overall, the Government finds that the research provides some support for the bill’s objective.