The European Commission has decided to close the infringement procedure against Cyprus concerning the former Cyprus Investment Programme (CIP), after concluding that the country addressed the concerns raised about the scheme.
Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis described the decision as a particularly important development for Cyprus, confirming that the policies and decisions taken by the government are moving in the right direction.
Definitively terminated
Speaking on Thursday at the Presidential Palace during a media briefing, Letymbiotis said the European Commissionofficially informed the Republic of Cyprus of its decision to definitively terminate the infringement procedure related to the former programme.
“This is a particularly important development for our country, which confirms in practice that the decisions taken and the policies implemented are moving in the right direction,” he said. He added that the decision recognises the actions taken by Cyprus in recent years to address the issues that had arisen, through coordinated initiatives by the state and in close cooperation with the Legal Service of the Republic.
Transparency
A key step in this process, he noted, was the government’s decision last October to proceed with the definitive and legal abolition of the possibility of granting Cypriot citizenship to investors and entrepreneurs, as well as to their family members, under the former programme.
Letymbiotis recalled that the scheme had already been terminated on November 1, 2020, and no longer has any legal basis for reinstatement in the future. He said new legislative provisions also enhance transparency and accountability, including the obligation to publish decisions on deprivation of citizenship in the Official Gazette of the Republic to ensure timely information of public and private bodies and to prevent the use of invalid documents.
He added that the government has also moved forward with checks and revocations of citizenship where necessary. From March 2023 to date, the Council of Ministers has taken 39 decisions concerning a total of 147 individuals, while additional cases are expected to be examined in the near future.
Cyprus' credibility
According to Letymbiotis, the Commission’s decision forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s institutional credibility and demonstrates that institutions can function effectively when there is political will. He added that Cyprus strictly applies the European acquis and aims to further enhance its international credibility.
Responding to a question on the matter, the Commission’s spokesperson for Justice, Markus Lammert, said Cyprus had addressed the concerns raised by the Commission regarding the investment programme, leading to the decision to close the case on March 11, 2026.
“The position of the Commission on investor citizenship schemes has been very clear from the outset — such schemes breach EU law; European citizenship is not for sale,” Lammert said.
He explained that Cyprus suspended the investor citizenship scheme in October 2020, but without repealing the law at the time, prompting the Commission to launch infringement proceedings.
Cyprus subsequently completed the handling of remaining pending applications in 2021, effectively bringing the scheme to an end, he added.
“Cyprus repealed the legal basis of its scheme with effect from December 12, 2025. In doing so, Cyprus addressed the concerns raised by the Commission, therefore the Commission decided to close the case on 11 March 2026,” Lammert said.