Indfødsretsudvalget 2006-07
IFU Alm.del Bilag 77
Offentligt
Danish influence on Dutch
migration law
Does EC migration law make a
difference?
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Four questions
• What are the main changes in migration
law after 2000 in Belgium, Denmark,
Germany and the Netherlands?
• How can the differences between DK/NL
and Belgium/Germany be explained?
• Did Denmark serve as an example for the
Netherlands?
• Did EC migration law make a difference?
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
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Belgium (2000-2006)
•
Family reunion:
no major changes;
(2007: spouse minimum age 18 > 21yrs)
•
Permanent residence:
after 5 years; no
change
•
Naturalisation:
(2001) abolition
integration requirement; 3 years residence
required
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Denmark (2000-2006)
•
Family reunion:
waiting period max. 10
yrs; spouse minimum 24 years + overall
attachment; children maximum 15 years
•
Permanent residence:
after 3 > 7 years
•
Naturalisation:
strict language test;
residence requirement: 7 > 9 years
(almost all changes adopted in 2002)
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
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Germany
(2000-2006)
•
Family reunion:
after long debate over
Zuwanderungsgesetz
no major change
•
Permanent residence:
after 5 or 8 years;
no change
•
Nationality:
ius soli for children born in
Germany of settled parents (2000)
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Netherlands (2000-2006)
•
Family reunion:
spouses: 18 > 21 years
income 120-180% minimum wage (2004)
integration test abroad (2006)
•
Permanent residence:
more protection
against loss status (2006)
(integration test = naturalisation test 2007)
•
Naturalisation:
strict language test (2003)
less acceptance of dual nationality
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Policy change 2000-2006
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Germany
• Netherlands
more liberal on 1 issue
more strict on 3 issues
more liberal on 1 issue
more strict on 3 issues
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
How to explain DK/NL<>B/G?
(1) Size or composition immigrant population
(2) Reaction to relatively liberal policy before
(3) Anti-immigrant attitude in population
(4) Different reaction of traditional politcal
parties to extreme right wing parties
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
References to Denmark in political
debate in NL 1999-2006
• Constant during 7 years
• 1999 visit Dutch Parliamentary delegation
• 2002 new Danish policy on foreigners gets
much publicity in Dutch media
• Denmark, generally, as reference country
• Selective use of references to Denmark
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Frequent references
(1) Asylum policy
in Denmark:
• more strict on unaccompanied minors
• detention undocumented asylum seekers
• permanent status after 7 years
• is country of origin save or not? (DK/UK)
• protection in region of origin (DK/UK/NL)
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
(2)
Family reunion:
• higher income requirement in DK;
Minister: not true, NL is more strict
• minimum age spouse: 18 > 25 years
• Minister: DK+NL only EU states with
reverse discrimination of own nationals
• DK: Sweden route > NL: Belgian route
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Other examples
(3) “Danish model” of reduced access to
social assistance and social security
(4) More expulsion after criminal conviction
(5) Free movement of EU-8 workers in 2004
(6) Ratification of Eur Convention National
Minorities
(7) Proposal withdrawal Dutch benefts for
returning migrants
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Influence EC migration law?
EC law limited effect of five ‘Danish examples’:
• age spouse: 21 years max. Dir 2003/86/EC (Fam Reun)
• permanent residence permit after 7 years: max. 5 years
under Dir 2003/109/EC (Long-term-residents)
• more expulsion after criminal conviction: impossible ex
Dir 2003/86 + Dir 2003/109 + Decision 1/80 Association
Council EEC-Turkey
• Reduced social security for workers from new Member
States: dubious under Regulation 1408/71
• Exclusion from social assistance: European Social
Charter after opinion Eur CSR on complaint against
Denmark
[not EC law]
 IFU, Alm.del - 2006-07 - Bilag 77: Materiale fra konferencen "Dansk Indfødsret i europæisk sammenhæng" afholdt torsdag den 14. juni 2007
Dual influence EC migration law
(A) EC migration limits national sovereignty
• EC law more serious argument in
political debate than article 8 ECHR
• Danish opt out of Title IV EC Treaty
(B) New EC migration & asylum directives
• Legitimate more strict policies: G/Fr/NL
• Source of imitation: integration test
abroad: NL > DK, France, Germany, UK?