Addition of the UAE to the EU’s list of high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regimes

19.7.2022

Priority question for written answer  P-002652/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Ramona Strugariu (Renew), Karen Melchior (Renew), Damien Carême (Verts/ALE), Fabienne Keller (Renew)

In March 2022 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. The Commission has not yet added the UAE to the EU’s own list of high-risk third countries with strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering / combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes, even though the methodology for the identification of high-risk third countries states that the Commission will consider FATF lists as a starting point.

• 1.Is the Commission planning to adopt a new delegated act to add the UAE to the EU’s list of high-risk countries?
• 2.Has the Commission engaged bilaterally with the UAE to address the strategic deficiencies in its AML/CFT regime?
• 3.In the context of sanctions against Russian individuals, entities and sectors following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reports have emerged that the UAE is becoming a new hub for Russian financial assets. Does the Commission consider that this phenomenon has potential to undermine the effectiveness of the sanctions? If so, what mitigating measures have been proposed?