TUNIS, Tunisia — The European Commission informed the Tunisian Embassy in Brussels June 9 of Tunisia’s official withdrawal from the list of countries with nonefficient anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing (AML-/CFT) measures, along with other countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Guyana, the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Sri Lanka.

The move comes three years after Tunisia was included on the list, on Feb. 7, 2017, when the country was grappling with a serious economic crisis due to money laundering crimes and high rates of corruption in major state institutions and sectors including customs. This is not to mention tax evasion and e-crimes, as well as hacking of financial accounts and bank cards abroad.

On May 7, the European Commission reviewed the list of high-risk countries, stating that Tunisia’s withdrawal from the list is subject to better application of the recommendations by the European Union (EU) at the level of corruption control, money laundering and terrorism.

The Tunisian Committee of Financial Analysis affiliated with the Central Bank of Tunisia said the decision to remove Tunisia from the list will take effect within 21 days of its publication in the EU Official Journal.