Malta’s golden passport scheme rejected by EU top court

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Malta’s golden passport scheme rejected by EU top court   The controversial system allowing foreigners to effectively buy EU citizenship raised security concerns.  READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/04/29/maltas-golden-passport-scheme-rejected-by-eu-top-court  Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages

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00:00A member state of the European Union cannot sell its citizenship.

00:13In a ruling handed down on Tuesday, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that

00:17Malta's passport investment scheme was contrary to European law.

00:23The judges consider that commercializing the status of EU citizen threatens trust between

00:27the 27 member states.

00:30For the NGO Transparency International, this ruling is a relief.

00:35This practice and these schemes that have allowed the sale of citizenship have been very

00:41concerning because we have seen how they have opened the EU's doors to dirty money and have

00:47allowed individuals with suspicious backgrounds, corrupt actors to gain access to the EU and

00:55acquire rights and privileges that come with the European Union citizenship.

00:59So today's ruling, which is in our view a landmark judgment, will put an end to this harmful

01:05practice, not only in Malta but will also prevent other member states from putting in place similar

01:13schemes, which the Court has called transactional in their nature.

01:18Since 2020, Malta has been the target of a procedure launched by the European Commission.

01:25The island was the last EU member state to offer these golden passports.

01:30Cyprus and Bulgaria had discontinued the scheme.

01:34Obtaining EU citizenship gives people direct access to free movement and the internal market.

01:40The passport also confers the right to vote and stand as a candidate in the European and

01:45local elections.

01:47The Commission welcomes the Court's ruling.

01:51The position of the Commission on Investor Citizenship Schemes has been very clear from

01:56the outset.

01:58European citizenship is not for sale.

02:01We therefore welcome today's judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding

02:06the Maltese Investor Citizenship Scheme.

02:09The court clarified that a member state cannot grant its nationality, and with it European

02:14citizenship, in exchange for predetermined payments or investments.

02:21The Maltese authorities have stated that they will abide by the decision.

02:25However, they regret that the judges did not follow the recommendations of the Court's

02:29advocate general, who stressed that there was no case against Malta.

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