Malta's golden passport program shut down by court ruling

Malta’s golden passport program, one of the last in Europe allowing wealthy individuals to purchase EU citizenship, has been ordered to close by the European Court of Justice. This decision came on April 29, 2025, highlighting the country's prior non-compliance with EU law despite suspending the program for Russian and Belarusian citizens. The court's ruling reflects growing concerns around the commercialization of citizenship, which Malta failed to manage in accordance with European Union regulations. The European Commission initiated infringement procedures against Malta and Cyprus in 2020 over their golden passport schemes, which aimed to generate revenue amid financial crises. In response to rising critiques surrounding potential corruption, money laundering, and security threats, Cyprus and Bulgaria halted their programs in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Malta’s continued operation of its program drew scrutiny due to increasing safety concerns, especially in light of geopolitical tensions, such as the 2018 Salisbury poisoning incident and sanctions against Russia following its invasions of Ukraine. As Malta engaged in its golden passport initiative, which entailed offering citizenship in exchange for significant economic investments, it drew criticism for fostering a system that could escalate issues related to wealth disparity and regulatory challenges in the EU. The court emphasized that such programs undermine the integrity of union citizenship by treating nationality as a commodity. In conclusion, Malta's ruling demonstrates an ongoing shift across Europe regarding citizenship programs positioned towards wealthy individuals. Malta was one of the last remaining countries with this type of program, emphasizing the need for an EU-wide reevaluation of how citizenship is granted and regulated in response to economic and ethical considerations.