WRITTEN QUESTION E-2955/01 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council. Safeguards in granting EU citizenship.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European citizenship, civil rights, national law, nationality, naturalisation

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/67

adoption and application of any such proposed measure. The United Kingdom may also, at any time after
the adoption of such a measure, notify that it wishes to accept the measure. The Commission, in the
interest of legal certainty, strongly advocates the use of the correct legal basis for proposals in these fields.

(1) COM(2001) 672 final.
(2) Source: Eurostat ( no data available from IRL, NL and UK, missing data from B, DK and L.
(3) Source: IOM ( most assisted voluntary returns have taken place from Germany (68 648 in 2000).
(4) COM(2000) 755 final.
(5) COM(2001) 710 final.

(2002/C 147 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2955/01

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Safeguards in granting EU citizenship

Given that those non-EU nationals who are given citizenship of a Member State enjoy rights of EU
citizenship in all other Member States, does the Council believe it is time to ensure that certain minimum
conditions are met before EU citizenship is granted,
including absence of criminal activity and a
willingness on the part of the applicant to uphold EU law? Does the Council believe that there should also
exist mechanisms to withdraw citizenship in the event of deception on the part of the applicant when
applying for citizenship, or serious criminal behaviour including involvement in organised crime or
terrorism and incitement to violence against other EU citizens or friendly states?

Reply

(1 March 2002)

The questions raised by the Honourable Member concern European citizenship in relation to

1.
obtaining nationality in a Member State of the Union.

2.
These questions are important insofar as they relate to problems with potential implications for the
area of freedom, security and justice. It should be noted, however, that this matter is governed solely by
national rules. Each Member State applies provisions of national law when granting or refusing nationality
and determining the applicable procedure. Neither the Community nor the Union has any powers in this
area.

3.
That position is confirmed by Declaration No 2 on nationality of a Member State annexed to the
final act of Maastricht, which stipulates that ‘wherever in the Treaty establishing the European Community
reference is made to nationals of the Member States, the question whether an individual possesses the
nationality of a Member State shall be settled solely by reference to the national law of the Member State
concerned’.

Section A/III of the Conclusions of the European Council at its meeting in Tampere on 15 and

4.
16 October 1999 set out the parameters for ensuring fair treatment for third country nationals.

5.
Attention should be drawn to the fact that the European Commission publishes a regular report on
citizenship of the Union. The third report on this subject was published in September 2001 under the
reference COM(2001) 506 final.