# Ultimate Beneficial Owner

*Last updated: 2026-06-26*

> Customs authorities, banks, and compliance teams in freight forwarding rely on the concept of the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO): the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company, whether through direct shareholding, layered corporate structures, or de facto management.

Customs authorities, banks, and compliance teams in freight forwarding rely on the concept of the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO): the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company, whether through direct shareholding, layered corporate structures, or de facto management. Identifying the UBO is a core obligation under Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks. For freight forwarders, importers, and customs brokers, this means tracing ownership beyond the contractual counterparty until a real individual is identified – layered holding structures can otherwise conceal sanctions exposure or supply chain risk. The UBO is not necessarily the legal representative or the named shipper on a transport document.

**Source:** [https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/anti-money-laundering-and-countering-financing-terrorism/beneficial-ownership_en](https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/anti-money-laundering-and-countering-financing-terrorism/beneficial-ownership_en)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Ultimate Beneficial Owner |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 107 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-26 |
| Source | https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/anti-money-laundering-and-countering-financing-terrorism/beneficial-ownership_en |

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