EU calls on Antigua and Barbuda to phase out Citizenship by Investment program by 2028

The European Union has formally requested Antigua and Barbuda to phase out its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program by June 2028. The EU's request, detailed in a letter from EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, is based on a revised visa suspension mechanism adopted in December 2025. This mechanism designates the mere operation of a CBI program, regardless of its management, as sufficient grounds for suspending visa-free travel access for citizens of the country.

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The Antigua and Barbuda Government’s position is clear: the CBI programme is a critical pillar of Antigua and Barbuda’s non-tax revenue base, and it cannot simply be abandoned without viable, concrete and credible replacement revenues being made available.

The EU has offered a 24-month transition period and proposed interim measures, including the exclusion of individuals subject to EU restrictive measures and enhanced vetting for all nationalities by September 2026. The EU will consider Antigua and Barbuda's response for its Visa Suspension Mechanism Report in December 2026. Other Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members like Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts and Nevis also operate similar programs.

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the Government will not be pressured into a “unilateral phase-out that would cause irreparable harm to the national economy and the welfare of our citizens”.

Prime Minister Browne stated that the EU's decision is not unexpected and that Antigua and Barbuda had prior knowledge of the letters. He emphasized that the CBI program is a "critical pillar" of the nation's non-tax revenue and cannot be abandoned without concrete replacement revenue streams. Browne asserted that the government will not be pressured into a "unilateral phase-out" that would harm the national economy and citizen welfare. He indicated St. John's would continue dialogue with the European Commission, noting that EU offers for sustainable development lack quantified, binding replacement revenues for the CBI income.

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We welcome the EU’s expressed commitment to supporting Antigua and Barbuda’s sustainable development through the Global Gateway Investment Agenda and other mechanisms. However, the Government notes that none of these offers from the EU are quantified, binding or explicitly framed as replacement revenues for the CBI income stream.