Antigua and Barbuda to introduce resolution on CIP to safeguard EU access: PM Browne

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that his government will introduce a parliamentary resolution on the future of the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme as Antigua and Barbuda considers whether changes to the initiative may be necessary to protect its visa-free access to the European Union.

While speaking during a live interview, he said that the government will first consult stakeholders before bringing the matter before Parliament to build a national consensus on the future of the programme.

If it is that we want to maintain visa-free access in the European Union, then we have to have a discussion as to whether or not we should continue the Citizenship by Investment Programme and give up US$100 million, Browne said.

He noted that the country must carefully weigh the economic benefits generated by the programme against the importance of maintaining unrestricted travel to both the European Union and the United States.

The country must weigh that economic benefit against the importance of maintaining access to the United States and the European Union, the Prime Minister stated.

Browne also warned that Citizenship by Investment programmes across the Caribbean could eventually come under greater pressure and argued that governments must prepare for the potential economic consequences should such initiatives be discontinued.

We have been fighting for years to defend the integrity of our programme, he said.

The Prime Minister's comments come as Antigua and Barbuda faces growing international pressure over its Citizenship by Investment Programme. Earlier this month, the European Commission gave the government until June 2028 to discontinue the programme or risk the suspension of visa-free access to the Schengen Area.

The development also follows recent restrictions by the United States on the issuance of new visas to Antiguan and Barbudan nationals. Browne said his administration has spent months seeking clarification from Washington but has received limited information beyond concerns relating to residency requirements associated with the country's citizenship programme.

According to Browne, the planned parliamentary debate will allow elected representatives to openly discuss the future of the programme and determine the best course of action for the country.

He also expressed hope that discussions with both the United States and the European Union would produce greater clarity in the coming weeks.