The blacklist included such nations as North Korea and Saudi Arabia, as well as four US overseas territories. This caused frustration in Washington, which accused the EU of being superficial in its assessment.
EU member states have unanimously rejected a proposal by the bloc’s executive commission to blacklist 23 countries and territories which could pose a high risk of money laundering or terrorist financing to the EU’s financial system.
The US Treasury was quick to blame the EU for being superficial in its assessment and complained that Brussels had “failed” to provide the US with “any meaningful opportunity to challenge their inclusion” or to “discuss with the European Commission its basis for including the listed US territories”.