The Vatican bank is hoping to resume normal cooperative agreements
with Italian financial institutions, after implementing a series of
reforms to address concerns about money-laundering.
Italian banking officials had cut off agreements with the Vatican bank,
the Institute for Religious Works (IOR), in 2010 because of complaints
about a lack of transparency and inadequate documentation of financial
transfers.
Since that time the IOR has undergone a change in leadership
and a series of internal reforms.
In December, European banking
examiners praised the IOR for its progress toward transparency, while
recommending further steps to ensure compliance with new banking
standards.
"The IOR looks forward to a resumption of full interaction with Italian
financial institutions pending review by Italian regulatory authorities
of the Holy See/Vatican City State's anti -money laundering provisions,"
the Vatican bank announced in a report to Italian banking officials.