21/11/24 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 21 November, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties supported by 62 votes to 1, with 2 abstentions, the revocation of the visa waiver agreement between Vanuatu and the EU due to security concerns over the country’s citizenship by investment programme, according to a press release. This programme does not involve in-depth background checks and does not even require the applicant to be physically present in Vanuatu. This would be the first time that the EU has used the suspension clause in its visa waiver rules, explains Parliament. Vanuatu has also continued to issue visas to Russians, even after the invasion of Ukraine. The decision will be submitted to the plenary next week. After an initial suspension, last May the European Commission proposed to permanently revoke the visa-free regime for citizens of this country (see EUROPE 13421/16). (SP)