Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have expressed support for revoking Vanuatu’s visa-free arrangement with the European Union (EU) due to security concerns related to the country’s citizenship-by-investment scheme. The European Parliament has approved a proposal to remove visa-free access for Vanuatu citizens to the Schengen area, which received significant backing: 627 votes in favour, six against, and 37 abstentions.
The decision was prompted by apprehensions regarding the need for more thorough background checks in Vanuatu’s citizenship-by-investment program, which does not require applicants to be physically present in the country. This action would mark the first instance of the EU invoking the suspension clause in its visa exemption rules.
“Vanuatu has been facilitating the selling of its citizenship and abusing the European Union’s trust. Its citizenship-by-investment programme poses a security threat to the EU, as applicants do not even need to be physically present in Vanuatu, and due diligence checks are insufficient. Also, Vanuatu has continued to issue visas to Russians even after the invasion of Ukraine. For these reasons, cancelling Vanuatu’s visa exemption is a proportional and justified decision,” Rapporteur Paulo Cunha (EPP, Portugal) said.
Before the proposal can become law, it must receive approval from the Council of the EU. Once approved and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, it will take effect 20 days later.
