The Costa Rican Finance Ministry announced today it is delaying until September of this year the launching of a new central register of shareholders and beneficial owners, which was supposed to start functioning in March. This central register was created as part of a statute against tax fraud passed by the Costa Rican Congress in December of 2016 (Law # 9416) and will be administered by the Costa Rican Central Bank. According to authorities, this delay will allow them to complete necessary IT security requirements, as well as address and clarify various concerns about the implementation of the central register raised by the private sector.