Antigua and Barbuda yesterday said that its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme will continue despite a formal warning by the European Union dated June 25th.
In a statement yesterday, the Antigua and Barbuda Government said: “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. Prime Minister Browne has stated unequivocally that the CBI Programme will continue, and 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”.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda yesterday informed the public of a formal communication received from the European Union (EU) regarding the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.
In a letter dated 25 June 2026, signed by Commissioner Magnus Brunner and addressed to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the European Commission formally requested that Antigua and Barbuda phase out its CBI Programme by 1 June 2028.
The statement from the Antigua and Barbuda government said that the EU grounded its request in a revised Visa Suspension Mechanism adopted by the Union on 31 December 2025. Under this new framework, the mere operation of a CBI programme — no matter how well it is managed — is now a self-standing ground for suspending visa-free access.
The statement said that the Commission’s letter offers a 24-month transition period and proposes the implementation of specific interim measures. These measures encompass the full exclusion of individuals subject to EU restrictive measures as well as stronger vetting procedures for all nationalities, to be in place no later than September 2026.
The EU has also indicated it will reflect Antigua and Barbuda’s response in its Visa Suspension Mechanism Report planned for December 2026.
Over the years, the statement said that the CBI Programme has funded hospitals, schools, infrastructure, and disaster recovery efforts.
“It represents necessary income for a small island developing state with limited fiscal space and acute vulnerability to climate change and external economic shocks”, the statement said.
Consequently, the statement said that the Antiguan Government will reiterate to the European Commission that any agreed path forward must include tangible EU assistance in generating equivalent replacement revenues to offset the economic impact of any transition.
The government, the statement aded, will exercise its sovereign right to pursue economic development strategies that serve the best interests of its people while continuing to give full regard to the security of all other countries.
In the latter context, as an act of good faith towards the EU, the statement said that the Antiguan Government will continue to exclude from its CBI Programme any individuals subject to EU restrictive measures; reinforce vetting for all other nationalities applying to the programme; and give full attention to any additional safeguards which may be required to satisfy EU security standards.
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