Malta has allowed foreigners to buy citizenship since 2014. Given that Malta is an EU Member State, buying Maltese citizenship also grants EU citizenship. In recent months it has emerged that two Saudi families used this method to purchase a total of 62 passports. These passports were granted to both adults and children. The Muhaidib family bought a total of 35 passports, while the al-Agil family bought the remaining 27 passports. Both of these families own billion-euro business empires.

One passport costs EUR 650 000, while documents for minors go for EUR 25 000 per person. Not only does this scheme make it possible to obtain EU citizenship very easily, but it is also discriminatory, since only the very rich are able to obtain Maltese, and thus EU, citizenship.

Does the Commission plan to draft common legislation to ensure that divergent national rules on obtaining EU citizenship do not exist?

Does the Commission plan to take specific steps to prevent Member States from getting rich through selling citizenship?