Roosevelt Skerrit and other Caribbean leaders agree to a unified diplomatic mission to Brussels to negotiate the future of Citizenship by Investment programs.

Roosevelt Skerrit, the Prime Minister of Dominica, chaired a summit in Roseau where leaders from five Eastern Caribbean nations met to address the European Union's plan to suspend visa-free access to the Schengen Area by 2028. The administration announced that the participating nations—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—will pursue a coordinated diplomatic mission to Brussels to engage with senior EU officials. The leaders emphasized that Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs are vital for economic resilience, funding critical infrastructure, healthcare, and climate resilience. While the European Commission may view the programs as a ground for reviewing visa-free status, the Caribbean states argue that any transition must protect existing development gains. To prepare, the region established the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority to harmonize oversight. The mission aims to move beyond simple compliance, seeking a strategic trade compact that replaces lost revenue with binding agricultural market access and climate co-financing.

Sources