Subject matter
Article 1
1. This Directive lays down measures to facilitate access to and the use of financial information and bank account information by competent authorities for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of serious criminal offences. It also lays down measures to facilitate access to law enforcement information by Financial Intelligence Units (‘FIUs’) for the prevention and combating of money laundering, associate predicate offences and terrorist financing and measures to facilitate cooperation between FIUs. 2. This Directive is without prejudice to: (a) Directive (EU) 2015/849 and the related provisions of national law, including the organisational status conferred on FIUs under national law as well as their operational independence and autonomy; (b) channels for the exchange of information between competent authorities or the powers of competent authorities under Union or national law to obtain information from obliged entities; (c) Regulation (EU) 2016/794; (d) the obligations resulting from Union instruments on mutual legal assistance or on mutual recognition of decisions regarding criminal matters and from Framework Decision 2006/960/JHA.