EU court rules Malta's "citizenship by investment" breaches EU law
Malta · Policy change · Judgment, April 2025
| Country / region | Malta |
|---|---|
| Category | Policy change |
| Date | Judgment, April 2025 |
| What happened | In April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta's citizenship-by-investment programme breaches EU law, establishing the precedent that EU citizenship cannot be obtained in exchange for payment. The ruling binds all member states. Malta retains the MPRP permanent residence programme. |
| Impact on applicants | EU-passport investment citizenship routes are essentially closed, and this judgment becomes the legal basis for EU pressure on investment citizenship. |
| Source: {src} | Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgment (2025-04) ↗ |
Source: Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgment (2025-04) ↗ · Last verified: 2026-09-20 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
EU court rules Malta's "citizenship by investment" breaches EU law — what happened?
In April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta's citizenship-by-investment programme breaches EU law, establishing the precedent that EU citizenship cannot be obtained in exchange for payment. The ruling binds all member states. Malta retains the MPRP permanent residence programme.
What does this mean for applicants?
EU-passport investment citizenship routes are essentially closed, and this judgment becomes the legal basis for EU pressure on investment citizenship.
Where does this information come from?
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgment (2025-04), verified by us on 2026-09-20.
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