Commission urges Member States to act on ‘golden passports’ and ‘golden residence permits’ schemes
On 28 March, the European Commission issued a recommendation urging Member States to immediately repeal any existing investor citizenship schemes and to ensure strong checks are in place to address the risks posed by investor residence schemes. The Russian aggression against Ukraine is once again highlighting these risks, says the press release by the Commission.
The Commission says that some Russian or Belarusian nationals who are subject to sanctions or are significantly supporting the war in Ukraine might have acquired EU citizenship or privileged access to the EU, including to travel freely in the Schengen area, under these schemes.
To address these immediate risks, the Commission also recommends that Member States assess whether Russian or Belarusian nationals with ‘golden passports’ are on an EU sanctions list in connection to the war in Ukraine. In this case, the citizenship should be withdrawn.
Residence permits granted under an investor residence scheme to Russian or Belarusian nationals subject to sanctions should be immediately withdrawn, following an individual assessment and in accordance with the principle of proportionality, fundamental rights and Member States’ national law. These measures should apply to Russian or Belarusian nationals significantly supporting the war in Ukraine.
“European values are not for sale. We consider that the sale of citizenship through ‘golden passports’ is illegal under EU law and poses serious risks to our security. It opens the door to corruption, money laundering and tax avoidance,” said Commissioner for Justice and Consumers, Didier Reynders.
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Georgia: European Commission welcomes Tbilisi’s efforts and recommends candidate status
The European Commission today recommended that the Council grant Georgia the status of a candidate country, outlining nine major steps to be taken by Georgia to get the status.
The Commission welcomed the reform efforts undertaken by Georgia in line with the country’s constitution, which envisages its integration into the EU as a priority for the country.
“An overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens supports the country’s EU accession process. Political depolarisation and more positive engagement by the ruling party with opposition parties and civil society are needed to build consensus on matters of national interest,” the Commission said in its 2023 Communication on Enlargement Policy published today.
The Commission also notes that in relation to the twelve priorities specified in the European Commission Opinion of June 2022, Georgia has adopted legislative acts and policy actions on gender equality and on fighting violence against women, on taking into account European Court of Human Rights judgments in Court deliberations, and on organised crime. It has also appointed a new Public Defender.
In its key findings for Georgia, the EC highlighted that “the reform process has been hampered by continuing political tensions, deep polarisation, the absence of constructive engagement between political parties and the challenges of building consensus on key matters of national interest”.
At the same time, the Commission praised Georgian civil society, which is “well developed, diverse, vibrant and continues to enjoy the freedom to operate”.
The Commission recommended that Georgia be granted the status of candidate country on the understanding that action be taken in a number of areas including to fight disinformation and foreign information manipulation; improve alignment with the EU common foreign and security policy; address the issue of political polarisation; ensure a free, fair and competitive electoral process; ensure a systemic approach to deoligarchisation, and a holistic and effective judicial reform.
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Key findings of the 2023 Report on Georgia
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The European Commission today adopted the 2023 Enlargement Package, recommending to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and to grant candidate status to Georgia.
In particular, the report focuses on the progress in the implementation of fundamental reforms, as well as on providing clear guidance on the reform priorities ahead. Accession is and will remain a merit-based process, fully dependent on the objective progress achieved by each country.
In light of the results achieved by Ukraine and Moldova, and of the ongoing reform efforts, the Commission has recommended that the Council opens accession negotiations with both countries. Furthermore, the Commission recommends that the Council adopts the negotiating frameworks once Ukraine and Moldova have adopted certain key measures. The Commission stands ready to report to Council by March 2024 on the progress relating to these measures.
In the case of Georgia, in light of the results achieved, the Commission recommends that the Council grants Georgia the status of a candidate country on the understanding that a number of steps are taken.
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Key findings of the 2023 Report on Ukraine
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The European Commission today adopted the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) to urgently deliver ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and to help Member States refill their stocks.
Together with this regulation, the European Commission proposes to allocate a budget of €500 million in current prices to strengthen the EU’s production capacity in ammunition, missiles and their components.
“This will help supply more ammunition for Ukraine to defend its citizens and it will also strengthen our European defence capabilities,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. “Together with the Member States, we will mobilise a further €1 billion to ramp up capacities across Europe. This is a critical part of Europe‘s strategic capacity to defend its interests and values, and help maintain peace on our continent.”
On 20 March, the European Council agreed on a three-track approach calling Member States to jointly procure ammunition and, if requested, missiles, to refill their stocks while enabling the continuation of support to Ukraine.
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Today the European Union is providing another €1.5 billion to Ukraine under its annual macro-financial assistance package.
The European Commission made today a third payment of €1.5 billion under the Macro-financial Assistance (MFA)+ package for Ukraine, worth up to €18 billion.
This support will help Ukraine cover its immediate financial needs: to continue paying salaries and pensions and to maintain basic public services such as hospitals, schools and housing for the displaced. It will also allow Ukraine to ensure macroeconomic stability and restore critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia in its war of aggression, such as energy infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, roads and bridges.
Today’s payment comes after the Commission found that Ukraine continued to make satisfactory progress to strengthen the rule of law, enhance financial stability, improve the functioning of the gas system and promote a better business climate.
This finding will also enable the disbursement of two further monthly payments of €1.5 billion each in May and June.
Overall, since the start of the war, the support to Ukraine and Ukrainians amounts to around €68 billion.
“We will continue helping Ukraine resist Russia’s aggression, keep its institutions and infrastructure running, and conduct crucial reforms,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.
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EU welcomes initiative to lay submarine cable under Black Sea
The EU will be ready to provide financial support for the Black Sea Energy submarine cable project, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on 17 December, attending the signing in the Romanian capital Bucharest of a memorandum of understanding between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania, which envisages the laying of an underwater electricity cable across the Black Sea.
Ursula von der Leyen said the agreement would bring the European Union closer to its partners in the South Caucasus region, and would help both regions achieve the clean energy transition. “Since the beginning of Russia’s war, we have decided to turn our back on Russian fossil fuels and to diversify towards reliable energy partners, like the partners here around the table. And it is working,” said the European Commission President.
She added the initiative would reinforce energy security in Europe and bring new opportunities to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine: “This project could bring Georgia, a country with a European destiny, great benefits as well. It could transform the country into an electricity hub and integrate it in the EU internal electricity market. Finally, the Black Sea electric cable could also help bring electricity to our neighbours in Moldova and the Western Balkans, and of course to Ukraine – it will help start rebuilding Ukraine’s energy system and the reconstruction of the country.”
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