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The Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 3 April 2014 on guidance for the application of Directive 2003/86 (COM(2014) 210; ‘the Guidelines’) contains the following passages: ‘… 3. Submission and examination of the application … 3.2. Accompanying evidence In accordance with Article 5(2), an application for family reunification shall be accompanied by: (a) documentary evidence to prove the family relationship; … Member States have a certain margin of appreciation in deciding whether it is appropriate and necessary to verify evidence of the family relationship through interviews or other investigations, including DNA testing. The appropriateness and necessity criteria imply that such investigations are not allowed if there are other suitable and less restrictive means to establish the existence of a family relationship. Every application, its accompanying documentary evidence and the “appropriateness” and “necessity” of interviews and other investigations need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. … 6. Family reunification of beneficiaries of international protection 6.1. Refugees … The Commission underlines that the provisions of Chapter V must be read in the light of the principles set out in Article 5(5) and Article 17. Therefore, when examining applications for family reunification by refugees, Member States must make a balanced and reasonable assessment in every individual case of all the interests at play, while having due regard to the best interests of minor children … No factor taken separately may automatically lead to a decision; each must enter the equation only as one of the relevant factors … … 6.1.2. Absence of official documentary evidence Article 11 states that Article 5 shall apply to the submission and examination of the application, subject to the derogation with regard to official documentary evidence in Article 11(2). Thus, in line with Article 5(2), Member States may consider documentary evidence to establish the family relationship, and interviews and other investigations may be carried out if appropriate and necessary. However, the particular situation of refugees who were forced to flee their country implies that it is often impossible or dangerous for refugees or their family members to produce official documents, or to get in touch with diplomatic or consular authorities of their country of origin. Article 11(2) is explicit, without leaving a margin of appreciation, in stating that the fact that documentary evidence is lacking cannot be the sole reason for rejecting an application and in obliging Member States, in such cases, to “take into account other evidence” of the existence of the family relationship. Since such “other evidence” is to be assessed in accordance with national law, Member States have a certain margin of appreciation, yet they should adopt clear rules governing these evidentiary requirements. Examples of “other evidence” to establish family links may be written and/or oral statements from the applicants, interviews with family members, or investigations carried out on the situation abroad. These statements can then, for instance, be corroborated by supporting evidence such as documents, audio-visual materials, any documents or physical exhibits (e.g. diplomas, proof of money transfers…) or knowledge of specific facts. The individual assessment of Article 17 requires that Member States take all relevant factors into account while examining the evidence provided by the applicant, including age, gender, education, background and social status as well as specific cultural aspects. The Commission considers that where serious doubts remain after other types of proof have been examined, or where there are strong indications of fraudulent intent, DNA testing can be used as a last resort … In such cases, the Commission considers that Member States should observe the [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)] principles on DNA testing … …’