Regulation
Why UBO register access got harder
Following EU court rulings, beneficial-ownership registers moved from public to legitimate-interest access — and what that means for verification.
The FLIORE Compliance Desk
Family-office compliance research
5 min read
Updated 2026-07-01
Key takeaways
- Public UBO register access was curtailed after EU court rulings.
- Access now typically requires demonstrating legitimate interest.
- Verification has shifted toward multi-source approaches and RegTech.
The shift
A 2022 Court of Justice ruling struck down open public access to beneficial-ownership registers on privacy grounds. Access is now generally granted only where a legitimate interest can be shown, and criteria vary by country.
The consequence
This fragmented cross-border verification. Firms can no longer rely on simply pulling a register entry; they combine registry data where permitted with calculated ownership from multiple sources.
FAQ
Can I still access UBO registers?
Often only on a legitimate-interest basis, and the criteria differ by member state.
Sources
- CJEU ruling C-37/20 — Public register access curtailed.
- EU AMLA — Harmonising access over time.
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