Antigua and Barbuda rejects EU demand for CBI programme phase-out

The Antigua and Barbuda government says it will continue to defend its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme after receiving a formal request from the European Union (EU) to phase out the scheme by June 2028.

In a statement issued Monday, the government said it received a letter dated June 25 from European Commissioner Magnus Brunner addressed to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, requesting that Antigua and Barbuda wind down its CBI Programme within a 24-month transition period.

The EU’s request is based on a revised Visa Suspension Mechanism adopted by the bloc on Dec. 31, 2025. According to the government, the new framework makes the operation of a CBI programme, regardless of how it is managed, an independent ground for suspending visa-free access.

The European Commission has proposed interim measures, including the exclusion of individuals subject to EU restrictive measures and strengthened vetting procedures for all nationalities participating in the programme. The measures are expected to be implemented no later than September 2026.

The government said the EU plans to reflect Antigua and Barbuda’s response in its Visa Suspension Mechanism Report scheduled for December 2026.

Prime Minister Browne said the development was expected and that his administration had been aware that similar correspondence was forthcoming.

He also said the EU action was not aimed solely at Antigua and Barbuda but at all Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members with active CBI programmes. The other countries — Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia — have also received similar communications from the European Commission.

The government said the CBI Programme remains a “critical pillar” of Antigua and Barbuda’s non-tax revenue base and cannot be abandoned without “viable, concrete, and credible replacement revenues.”

Browne has said the programme will continue and that the government will not agree to a unilateral phase-out that could harm the national economy and citizens’ welfare.

“Any agreed path forward must include tangible EU assistance in generating equivalent replacement revenues to offset the economic impact of any transition,” the government said.

Antigua and Barbuda said it will continue discussions with the European Commission through “principled and constructive dialogue” under the Samoa Agreement, while welcoming EU commitments to support sustainable development through initiatives such as the Global Gateway Investment Agenda.

However, the government noted that the EU proposals were not quantified, legally binding or specifically designed as replacement revenue for income generated through the CBI Programme.

The administration highlighted that the programme has helped finance hospitals, schools, infrastructure projects and disaster recovery efforts, describing it as a vital source of income for a small island developing state facing limited fiscal space, climate vulnerability and external economic shocks.

While defending the programme, the government said it would continue implementing safeguards aimed at addressing EU security concerns.

“As an act of good faith towards the EU, the 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,” the statement said.

The government said it is pursuing diplomatic avenues both bilaterally and through the OECS and other regional channels to protect Antigua and Barbuda’s interests.

“Further updates will be provided as discussions with the European Commission progress,” it said.