The European Commission must present a new list of high-risk third-countries to tackle money laundering after MEPs voted to reject its original proposals at the Strasbourg plenary today.

This vote came about as the Parliament’s Committees on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) had rejected the Commission’s proposals earlier this month.

MEPs had also previously voted down the Commission's list back in January.

All countries named on the Commission’s revised list will face tougher audit and information requirements when doing business in the EU. 

Commenting on the result of the vote, GUE/NGL’s Fabio De Masi – Vice-Chair of the Committee on money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion (PANA) and shadow rapporteur of the anti-money laundering directive – said:

“A year on from the ´Panama Papers´ revelations, the Commission is continuing to protect the opacity of notorious offshore jurisdictions and criminals. The only change to the list is the replacement of Guyana with Ethiopia. This is ludicrous. Well-known offshore jurisdictions and gangsters have nothing to fear for.”

“The Commission must at last carry out an autonomous analysis and not just copy the incomplete list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). If the Commissioner responsible, Věra Jourová, lacks the resources for this, she must request them from Mr Juncker. Given the hundreds of billions of euros that money laundering and tax evasion cost us every year, this would be money well spent.”

“The Commission must deliver now and stop this inappropriate diplomatic tip-toeing,” said De Masi.