During the plenary session (19-23 October 2020) of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs quiz the Commissioner Didier REYNDERS about possible measures to stop third-country criminals from buying EU citizenship documents and visas to gain access to EU territory.

Serious security threats through the sale of EU passports and visas to criminals: extracts from the debate

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SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, In January 2019, the Commission published its first ever report on investor citizenship schemes and investor residents schemes operated in the EU. The report clearly spelt out the inherent risks of such schemes, in particular as regards security, money laundering, tax evasion and corruption. And since the beginning of this Commission mandate, we have generously raised this concern with the member states concerned, urging them to reconsider their decision to operate such schemes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, While both Malta and Cyprus may have the intention to apply some changes to their investors citizenship schemes, they appear to be determined to continue their schemes in some form. We need to convince them not to do that.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The Commission decided this week to open infringement proceedings against the investors citizenship schemes in Cyprus and Malta.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The decision to naturalise a person by a member state is not limited to its own jurisdiction and is not natural with regard to other member states. Member states should therefore use their prerogatives to grant nationality with due regard to EU law and in particular to the principle of sincere cooperation which has led down in the treaties. The Member States fails in that obligation when establishes a scheme with which a system technically grants naturalisation in the absence of any true link with the states and on the sole basis of a financial investment, or in other words, where our passports are for sale.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice,The Commission expressed its concern and asked for information for all third countries, whether there are visa exemptions who have or plan investors citizenship schemes. This was done in close cooperation with the External Action Service. The consequence of this is that some countries won't remove their schemes and others will bring the schemes to an end. We will continue to follow these schemes to ensure that there is no risk for security linked to the schemes.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Loukas FOURLAS (EPP, CY), Some people, though, are trying to negatively pay Cyprus and its people. We cannot forget the Turkish aggression in this situation. Obviously, we have to bring this to justice, those who are responsible. But we shouldn't punish a whole people for this thing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Eero HEIN&#196;LUOMA (S&amp;D, FI), Golden visas research shows that EU member states have attracted around 25 billion euros for investment over the last 10 years, thanks to the golden visa programmes. Investments are important, but so are our values. Today, even more than ever. The Cyprus leaks and the names it reveals are word of discussion. With enough criminal money, you can buy illegal entrants in the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (RE, NL), No golden passport, nor a gold visa scheme can ever really be clean and legitimate because due diligence that relies on cooperation with the Russian, the Chinese and the Saudi authorities, frankly, can never be watertight.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN'T VELD (RE, NL), In reality, they're just a golden back-door into the European Union for criminals, criminals. It's not investment. It's criminal money. Now we need a full ban.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sven GIEGOLD (Greens/EFA, DE), It cannot be the case that a single country decides who gets access and then that person can enjoy rights in all the countries of the EU because that way individual countries are putting millions into their kitties that lead to consequences across the boarders in Europe. And for that reason, it is unacceptable that the European Commission for years has done nothing.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sven GIEGOLD (Greens/EFA, DE), You shouldn't just be targeting the sale of passports, but also golden visas. For example, the Portuguese programme in the last eight years has attracted investments of five billion, selling 2,000 golden visas that sometimes lead to citizenship. So we should not close our eyes to that.

Дата на събитието	22.10.2020 г.
Reference:	I197799V
Format:	16:9 format
Copyright:	© European Union
copyrightYear:	2020

Serious security threats through the sale of EU passports and visas to criminals: extracts from the debate

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