EU toughen stance on CBI programmes.
The European Commission has adopted a tougher stance on Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programmes (CBI), warning that their existence alone could justify suspending visa-free travel to the Schengen area. In its latest Visa Suspension Mechanism report, the EU labelled CIPs in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia as security risks, citing low rejection rates and short processing times. Despite recent reforms, Brussels insists that risks remain and called for enhanced vetting pending the discontinuation of the programmes.
The Commission’s latest position creates doubt over whether recent efforts such as the independent CBI regulator will be enough to prevent revocation of the existing visa waiver.
Source: Caribbean Insight