Caribbean CBI States Close Ranks Over EU Phase-Out Demand

Five Eastern Caribbean governments have agreed on a joint diplomatic response to European Union pressure over their citizenship-by-investment programmes, seeking negotiation rather than outright confrontation with Brussels.

“governments say CBI revenues have financed infrastructure, housing, healthcare, education, disaster recovery and climate resilience”

The leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia met in Roseau on 10 July. Their communiqué acknowledged a recent communication from the European Commission and the implications of the EU’s revised visa-suspension mechanism.

As IMGlobalWealth.com News reported on 7 July, the EU had asked Antigua and Barbuda to phase out its programme by 1 June 2028. The request was disclosed by the Antiguan government, which said Brussels also wanted reinforced vetting and the exclusion of applicants subject to EU sanctions by September 2026. Similar correspondence, it added, was sent to the other four CBI states.

The Roseau statement did not explicitly accept or reject the 2028 deadline. Instead, it argued that any transition affecting a major source of development finance must protect economic stability and existing development gains while helping the islands establish alternative sources of funding.

The governments say CBI revenues have financed infrastructure, housing, healthcare, education, disaster recovery and climate resilience. They also point to regional reforms, including tighter due diligence, greater information-sharing and the creation of an Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority.

Their next move will be political. The leaders plan a high-level mission to Brussels and coordinated engagement with EU institutions, member states and key European capitals. Discussions will also cover development assistance, climate finance and economic diversification.

The dispute is becoming less a technical argument about screening than a contest over leverage. Europe controls access to the Schengen area; the island states are defending revenues they regard as economically indispensable. The search is now for a compromise that preserves mobility without abruptly destabilising small economies.

Interested in more Caribbean-related news? Here are some recommended articles:

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7. Small States, Big Stakes: The Caribbean Fights for Its Citizenship Programmes
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