Al-Jazeera received a copy of a draft resolution submitted by a group of political blocs in the European Parliament demanding that the European Union institutions not to bow to the diplomatic pressure exercised by some of the countries listed on the black list of countries failing in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The draft resolution stresses that these pressures are part of the process of identifying those countries whose financial systems are highly dangerous to EU countries and that this pressure should not be allowed to undermine the ability of EU institutions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in an effective and independent manner.
The draft resolution regrets the European Council's objection to the list proposed by the Commission on 13 February.
The draft resolution welcomes the new methodology adopted by UNHCR to identify high-risk countries and calls for a new list to be issued as soon as possible.
During a public meeting in the French city of Strasbourg, European deputies from different political blocs strongly criticized the European Council's rejection of the blacklist and described the Council's decision as scandalous and far-fetched. He said the Council's disobedience to the list exposed the weaknesses of EU institutions and highlighted the lack of political will on the part of its governments.
The deputies stressed that the submission of the Council to the pressures of countries such as Saudi Arabia amounted to acts of "criminal act" undermine the credibility of the European Union, and called on the Council to assume its responsibilities and review its position.