A brainstorming event with an expert audience focusing on the landmark judgment of the European Court of Justice – Case C-181 /23 Commission v Malta of 29 April 2025*. This judgment marks the first time, the Court has set out a comprehensive vision of EU citizenship. Despite its significance, the judgment has not received the attention it deserves, although its origins in the issue of “golden passports” are well known. The ruling is expected to bring an end to such schemes. Assessing the broader implications of this case is challenging, because it does not concern specific European citizens’ rights, but EU citizenship as such.

Debates about citizenship fit uneasily in the current politically divided culture with its emphasis on more immediate concerns or transactional solutions. However, isn’t that precisely why the fullest EU citizenship is urgently needed?