Media Advisory: Report on ‘golden visas’ corruption risks to EU published 10 October

Citizenship- and residency-by investment programmes offered by some EU Member States have repeatedly sparked controversy. Applicants and grantees associated with dubious sources of wealth have made headlines in various countries, and the opacity which characterises many of the schemes has raised concerns over risks of money-laundering and the security of the EU and its Member States.

Transparency International and Global Witness have teamed up to investigate these schemes and the corruption risks they pose to the entire EU. The new joint report discusses the problems with this multi-billion Euro industry and suggests solutions.

European Getaway: Inside the Murky World of Golden Visas

Available at www.transparency.org & www.globalwitness.org

10 October 2018, 10:00 CEST

For embargo copies and interview requests, email [email protected].

Launch event:

10 October 2018, 10:00 - 13:00

Press Club Brussels (Rue Froissart 95, 1000 Brussels, Belgium)

10:00 – 10:15 Registration and coffee

10:15 - 10:25 Introduction

• Welcome words from Carl Dolan, Director, Transparency International EU
• Introductory remarks from Mike Davis, Director of Campaigns, Planning & Evaluation, Global Witness

10:25 – 10:45 Presentation: European Getaway: Inside the Murky World of Golden Visas

• Laure Brillaud, Senior Policy Officer for Anti-Money Laundering, Transparency International EU
• Maíra Martini, Knowledge Coordinator, Policy & Advocacy Team, Transparency International

10:45 – 11:45 Panel discussion: Golden Visas – What is the problem and what can the EU do?

• MEP Benedek Jávor, Greens/European Free Alliance
• MEP Ana Maria Gomes, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
• Rachel Owens, Head of EU Advocacy, Global Witness
• Moderator: David Pegg, The Guardian

11:45- 12:15 Q&A session

Participants will be invited for a light lunch following the discussion.

To register, email Eka Rostomashvili, Transparency International [email protected].

Additional information:

Gold For Visas, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

Passport Dealers of Europe: Navigating the European Golden Visas Market, Transparency International

Golden Visas: Why should the EU Care?, Transparency International EU

Citizenship- and Residency-By-Investment schemes expose EU to corruption risk (PDF), Global Witness

Transparency International’s work on ‘Golden Visas’ is supported by the Global Anti-Corruption Consortium, a groundbreaking partnership to accelerate the global fight against corruption by bringing together advocacy and investigative journalism, spearheaded by The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Global Witness is working in cooperation with the Consortium on this issue.