Row over lawyers' rights hinders clampdown on terrorist funds

EU moves to crack down on money laundering has run into trouble in Brussels over lawyers’ rights to maintain complete professional secrecy over their clients’ financial dealings.

Ambassadors from member countries meeting in Brussels yesterday rejected a call from MEPs to preserve full client confidentiality for the legal profession, while obliging other sectors auditors, tax advisers, investment firms, bureaux de change, insurance companies and credit houses to inform the authorities if they merely suspect a client of dealing in ‘‘dirty money’’.