The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to revoke Vanuatu’s visa-free access to the Schengen Area, with a 62-1 vote and two abstentions. This decision marks the first time a country has been removed from the visa-free list.
Paulo Cunha, Parliament Rapporteur, highlighted that this move is unprecedented in the EU’s history. The European Commission had already suspended Vanuatu’s visa waiver in March 2022, citing security risks associated with the country’s investor citizenship programs. This suspension applied to individuals who obtained passports after May 2015, when Vanuatu launched its Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP).
In response to EU concerns, Vanuatu set up a National Task Force to reform its citizenship schemes, but these efforts fell short. The European Parliament’s report criticized the program’s lack of thorough background checks, insufficient due diligence, and weak physical presence requirements. These flaws, it said, created vulnerabilities that could be exploited by individuals with harmful intentions.
The report also highlighted the program’s short processing time of three months and minimal background checks as major security threats. Furthermore, Vanuatu’s lack of cooperation with the European Commission in addressing these concerns was noted.
Another point of contention was Vanuatu’s continued issuance of visas to Russian citizens during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which, the report argues, undermines the EU’s diplomatic efforts.
The European Council must now give final approval to this decision. Given the Council’s previous support for temporary suspensions, it is expected to adopt the permanent ban. If approved, Vanuatu citizens will be required to obtain a visa before entering the Schengen Area, regardless of how they acquired their citizenship.
Laszlo Kiss, Managing Director of Discus Holdings, warned that other countries, such as the Solomon Islands, should take note of this development. He stressed the importance of implementing strong due diligence processes and carefully considering the acceptance of Russian applicants, given its significance to the EU.
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