Pending the outcome of the vote on the draft legislative initiative on the abolition of the golden passport programmes, which was discussed on Monday in the plenary session of the European Parliament (EP), in`t Veld expressed confidence that it will be passed with a large majority. The results are expected at 20:00 CY time.
The key message, she said, is that "we strongly urge the European Commission to come forward with legislative proposals" on the issue, adding that the EP had raised the issue since 2014.
He said the Commission has done little to nothing so far, with infringement proceedings launched, some proposals on money laundering made, but no coherent approach on banning gold passports and regulating gold visas.
"I was disappointed by the reaction of the Commissioners in Monday's debate because they basically say 'we won't do anything because the problem will solve itself'," in`t Veld said, referring to statements by the Home Affairs and Justice Commissioners that Cyprus has phased out its scheme, Bulgaria will phase it out and they hope Malta will also phase it out.
"This is not the solution."
"This is not the solution. We also want coherent regulation of the golden visa, not just some anti-money laundering measures," he added."
He said the plan proposes a ban on golden passports in terms of phasing them out so that by 2025 there would be no more golden passports.
They also propose a package of measures on gold entry visas (visas) or residence by investment. "On the one hand, we propose specific measures such as anti-money laundering legislation or long-term residence but also a specific regulation on gold visas," he said. It is important, he added, to regulate the issue of intermediaries because there is a high risk of corruption.
[/B][/B][/B][/B]He also mentioned a third route, which he said should be cut off, which is the practice of securing golden passports from third countries that have a visa-free agreement with the EU. He said people who used to buy passports from Member States are now turning to those countries.
The Commission, he said, has suspended visa-free travel from Vanuatu, but there are more states in the Balkans and small Pacific countries that are issuing passports and allowing people to enter the EU seamlessly.
Answering questions from reporters, the Dutch MEP also mentioned Cyprus.
In response to a remark that the Netherlands also has a golden visa scheme, she said that if someone wants to invest in the real economy, there is nothing against it. The Dutch plan, he said, which has attracted a very small number of applications, proves that applicants are not interested in legal investment.
If it was about legal investment, he said, the Dutch plan would have attracted many applications, but the main volume goes to Cyprus and Malta and applicants are trying to buy passports.
Asked about the case of Malta continuing its own scheme and why it cannot continue with strict controls on applicants, he said the controls "are a joke."
She also said she understands that it is very difficult for small countries where the revenue from these plans is a big chunk of their budget, but it is not fair to European citizens or Ukrainians, referring also to the purchase of golden passports by Russians who support Putin."
Source: CNA
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