Sunday

1st Oct 2023

Rehn: Cyprus must act on money laundering

  • Rehn's remarks give the lie to Cypriot claims that money laundering is a non-issue (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

EU financial affairs commissioner Olli Rehn has joined calls for Cyprus to stop bank fraud if it wants EU help.

Speaking in German daily Handelsblatt on Friday (11 January), he said Cyprus has adopted international rules on anti-money-laundering "[but] these laws actually have to be applied. I am aware of the problems."

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

He noted that Peer Steinbruck - the German centre-left SPD party's candidate in autumn elections - told him "personally" on Tuesday he will oppose the bailout unless Cyprus cleans up its act.

"I believe we can address the concerns of the SPD ... [it] will agree to the Cyprus bailout in the end, if we find a compelling solution which is acceptable to the [German] taxpayer and which helps us to finally overcome the problem of money laundering," Rehn said.

The commissioner's remarks give the lie to Cypriot claims that money laundering and tax evasion are not part of EU negotiations on its potential €17 billion rescue.

The small island nation has a large offshore banking sector which is popular with Russian and Ukrainian businessmen.

It is also fighting proposals that its foreign creditors should suffer a "haircut" on their money on the model of the Greek bailout.

Under German law, the Bundestag has to approve any EU rescue deal.

But if the SPD and other bailout sceptics - the left-wing Die Linke party, the Greens and rebel MPs in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition - oppose the deal, the government will not get it through.

SPD chief Sigmar Gabriel on Wednesday also told press that Cyprus has not done enough to merit help.

Merkel herself on Thursday noted: "There can be no special conditions for Cyprus because we have common rules in Europe that are valid for everyone."

Merkel warns Cyprus not to expect special treatment

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Cyprus it should not expect special treatment when negotiating the terms of its bailout, which she suggested would not be concluded anytime soon.

EU proposes €5mn fines for money laundering

Individual staff should be fined up to €5 million and firms, such as banks, should be fined 10 percent of turnover for flouting anti-money-laundering laws, the EU says.

Opinion

How do you make embarrassing EU documents 'disappear'?

The EU Commission's new magic formula for avoiding scrutiny is simple. You declare the documents in question to be "short-lived correspondence for a preliminary exchange of views" and thus exempt them from being logged in the official inventory.

Latest News

  1. EU women promised new dawn under anti-violence pact
  2. Three steps EU can take to halt Azerbaijan's mafia-style bullying
  3. Punish Belarus too for aiding Putin's Ukraine war
  4. Added-value for Russia diamond ban, as G7 and EU prepare sanctions
  5. EU states to agree on asylum crisis bill, say EU officials
  6. Poland's culture of fear after three years of abortion 'ban'
  7. Time for a reset: EU regional funding needs overhauling
  8. Germany tightens police checks on Czech and Polish border

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us