There are calls in the EU for action against “golden passports”, which allow individuals to obtain passports in certain EU countries in exchange for promises of investment. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that a discussion on this issue took place during the extraordinary meeting of Interior Ministers on Sunday 27 February. “We made it clear that we had to stop facilitating them. We asked for contact information of the people who had these passports which allow them to travel despite the sanctions imposed”, he told the press. This practice has, indeed, greatly benefited wealthy Russians.
The issuing of “golden passports” violates EU law, according to the Commission. Some countries such as Cyprus and Malta have such programmes, for which the Commission has launched infringement proceedings (see EUROPE 12737/33). However, “golden visas” are allowed.
For their part, MEPs in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) adopted an own-initiative report on 16 February calling for a framework for these two practices (see EUROPE 12891/7).
Portugal and Greece have just suspended residence permits in exchange for investments to Russian citizens. This includes applications currently being processed.
At a hearing before the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said that “golden passports will be abolished” as he listed EU sanctions against Russia. In a joint statement on 26 February, the European Commission, Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom pledged to “commit to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship (golden passports) that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems”. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)