Global Witness and the Global Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) are joining forces to ensure that citizenship- and residency-by-investment are not open to abuse by the corrupt and the criminal.
The panel discussion will: raise the awareness of the global anti-corruption community to the multifaceted risks posed by the citizenship- and residency-by-investment schemes on offer in the European Union and other jurisdictions; discuss our recommendations for reducing risks (e.g. enhanced due diligence, transparency standards, application of AML regulations); test our policy recommendations and understanding of the schemes with a global audience; and showcase the investigations, methodology and success of the GACC.
This will be the first time that the full gamut of risks posed by CBI and RBI schemes - and the means to tackle them - will be discussed on a world stage. It will also be the first time that an active GACC campaign will be profiled.
To reach safe haven many corrupt officials avail themselves of "citizenship by investment" or "residency by investment" schemes. We contend that these schemes are a key part of the ‘corruption toolkit’ that enables the corrupt to enjoy the proceeds of their crimes, avoid red flags, and evade prosecution. As such, these schemes are effectively a ‘get out of jail free’ card that allow nefarious individuals to continue their corrupt activity in their jurisdiction of choice, enjoying global mobility and the additional rights and safety conferred by new residency and citizenship. These concerns are borne out by numerous investigations that have published over the past year. Stories uncovered by the GACC have revealed how these schemes risk enabling the corrupt to achieve safe haven and have the potential to corrupt the state itself when these schemes are poorly run and too-easily exploited by corrupt figures.
As a result of the panel:
- Attendees will find out how CBI & RBI schemes form part of the ‘corruption toolkit’.
- Campaigners will be inspired by the GACC methodology and equipped to lobby governments to review their exposure to the risks posed by CBI & RBI schemes and call for stronger due diligence and transparency measures.
- Investigators will be informed of the policy and advocacy context surrounding CBI & RBI schemes.
- Due-diligence professionals will be informed of the due diligence needed to identify risks associated with CBI & RBI applicants.
- Government officials will be made aware of the risks involved the schemes and how to mitigate them.
- Campaigners and investigative journalists will be empowered to connect with Global Witness and the GACC in order to grow the campaign worldwide.
After the panel, participants will be able join a mailing list to receive new research and campaign updates and will be invited to take part in social media advocacy efforts focused on the 2019 European elections.
Session Rapporteur:
Cornelia Abel
