EU to add Panama, Bahamas, Mauritius to money-laundering blacklist

The European Commission is set to include Panama, the Bahamas, Mauritius and nine other countries to its list of states that pose a financial risks to the bloc because of anti-money laundering and terrorism financing shortfalls, a draft document shows. The document, seen by Reuters and expected to be published on Thursday, also includes Barbados, Botswana, Cambodia, Ghana, Jamaica, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe to the EU listing.

Countries on the list "pose significant threats to the financial system of the Union," the draft document, which is still subject to changes, says. Under EU law, banks and other financial and tax firms are obliged to scrutinise more closely their clients who have dealings with countries on the list.