A beneficial owner (in Norwegian: reell rettighetshaver) under Norwegian anti-money laundering legislation is a Norwegian or foreign person who meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Owns more than 25% of the company directly or indirectly.
- Controls more than 25% of the voting rights in the company, e.g., through provisions in the bylaws or voting rights attached to specific share classes.
- Has the right to appoint or dismiss more than half of the company’s board of directors, e.g., through employment relationships, agreements, or provisions granting the right to appoint a certain number of the company’s board members.
- Exercises other equivalent influence or control, e.g., via power of attorney or as a guardian for a person who is a beneficial owner.
One can be a beneficial owner either through direct ownership or on an indirect basis.
As an authorized service provider, Acconor is obligated to carry out customer due diligence (KYC, “Know Your Customer”) both when establishing a customer relationship and on an ongoing basis. In this context, the following information will be requested from all beneficial owners:
- A copy of passport or national ID
- Proof of address
- Mobile number
- Email address
- Information on whether the person is a politically exposed person (PEP) according to the definition in the anti-money laundering law
A copy of the ID is confirmed either via Nordic digital signature (which Acconor will arrange) or notarized (if Nordic digital signature is not available). The customer is obligated to provide this information. If circumstances arise that prevent the completion of KYC, the customer relationship must be terminated.