MPG Family Reunion news service #3

Welcome to the third issue of MPG's Family Reunion news service. This newsletter provides regular updates on policy developments, at European level and country by country. We'd like this service to reach as much people as possible, so we'd be grateful if you could share this issue with friends and colleagues and encourage them to subscribe here.

We'd also like this service to be interactive. So if you know of an EU or country development you think should be covered in a next issue, please send your suggestion here.

EUROPEAN/INTERNATIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS

EU-funded IMPACIM comparative report on the impact of family reunion restrictions on integration
United Nations reports that several EU governments are trying to decrease the number of family reunifications: DK, FR, IE, NL, ES, and UK
Global overview of right to work for reunited adult family members
Compatibility of Islamic concept of Kafala protection for children with EU Directive

NATIONAL POLICY AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS

Austria

Compatibility with ECHR of investigations of marriages of convenience in Austria

Belgium

Constitutional Court validates 2010 law but annuls a few exceptional provisions: please see reviews of these changes here and here
New focus of government on false claims of paternity
Flemish minister calls for immigration competence for Flanders and describes most immigration to Belgium as 'passive' and the cause of most unemployment in major Flemish cities

Denmark

Last-minute law adopted for autonomous permits in case of death, after popular outcry around case of young Thai girl facing deportation
Another case of awareness raising of specific case of family rejection

Finland

Analysis of family reunion decisions in national courts

France

French administrative court applies proportionality test to economic resource requirement: applicant cannot be rejected solely due to economic resources
UMP and Front National want further restrictions of national family reunion policies
Demographer Michele Tribalat regrets that the French did not support Dutch to restrict family reunion directive

Germany

German government puts issue on table for Friday's G6 meeting but only speaks about facilitating family reunion for resettled refugees through new quota (5000 Syrians). German NGOs calls for facilitated family reunification for Syrians, as in CH (example of decree passed in Lower Saxony)
Demand to facilitate family reunification for Syrians. Further NGO demands in Germany and across Europe

Greece

New regulations on immigration permits, including family reunification

Ireland

220 DNA tests conducted in last two years without transparency and guidelines

Italy

Required DNA tests delay family reunion of last month's Lampedusa survivors

Netherlands

Decline in family migration in first half of 2013 compared with first half of 2011/2012 before 1 June entry into force of new Modern Migration Act
Fees significantly dropped for family reunion on humanitarian grounds from 950 to 225 (dropped last year for all in response to ECJ decision)
Impact of family reunion restrictions on immigrants’ integration
Dutch MPs claim extremely large use of 'European route' through Belgium

Spain

Comprehensive analysis of integration of reunited family members

Norway

Proposed family reunification restrictions by new government including Norway’s Progress Party: restrictions include higher income requirement (already highest in the world), 24-year-age-limit, wait for autonomous permit lengthened from 3-to-5-years

Sweden

Expected boom fails to materalise in family reunification from Somalis due to changes in identity requirements
Specific guide and FAQs is created for Syrians applying for family reunification

Turkey

Deputy Foreign Minister stresses importance of Turkish NGOs for working together on issues like family reunification

United Kingdom

Conservatives and Labour launch parliamentary questions on income requirement
New Parliamentary briefing on income requirement and impact
More coverage of families separated by new income requirement; campaigners 'encouraged' by reactions of parliamentarians; campaigners conduct media trainings
Children's Commissioner concerned that UK's 2011 restrictions go against international commitments. Minister later responded to their claims on rights of child
Temporary reunited families will be charged for access to NHS health service
Statistics claim that one in five weddings in urban areas are ‘suspicious’
New Immigration Bill promises new crackdowns on sham marriages
UK Government turn-around on rejection for refusal to take English pre-entry test in case of spouse who taught English for 24 years
ESOL teachers and mothers-in-law matters for integration of South Asian reunited spouses