27/11/2024 (Agence Europe) – At its plenary session on Wednesday 27 November, the European Parliament confirmed by 627 votes to 6 with 37 abstentions the definitive revocation of Vanuatu’s visa waiver agreement with the EU due to security concerns linked to the country’s system of citizenship by investment (see EUROPE 13529/17). The Council of the EU still has to validate this dismissal. The European Parliament agrees with the Commission that this citizenship-by-investment programme does not provide for in-depth background checks and does not even require the applicant to be physically present in Vanuatu. Vanuatu nationals will therefore once again need visas to travel to the Schengen area. Link to the decision: https://aeur.eu/f/ehy (SP)