Most EU countries’ citizenship laws include provisions requiring naturalisation applicants to prove that they possess certain knowledge (language ability, knowledge of the constitution and the country), possess evidence of appropriate behaviour (criminal and employment records), or display certain dispositions and commitments (willingness to integrate, loyalty). This is largely a recent development indicating a more general reversal of an integration paradigm, in which citizenship is no longer a prerequisite of integration but the coronation of a completed integration process. Standardised tests to assess applicants’ knowledge about the country, its legal and constitutional system, as well as more general attitudes and views on key cultural issues are used in half of the EU Member States (see Figure 4). However, the knowledge assessment procedure may differ in certain countries, depending on the applicant’s circumstances.
Figure 4 – Citizenship tests in EU-28
Categories:
European Parliamentary Research Service
Related Articles
In focus
We write about
Blogroll
Disclaimer and Copyright statement
The content of all documents (and articles) contained in this blog is the sole responsibility of the author and any opinions expressed therein do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. It is addressed to the Members and staff of the EP for their parliamentary work. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the European Parliament is given prior notice and sent a copy.
For a comprehensive description of our cookie and data protection policies, please visit Terms and Conditions page.
Copyright © European Union, 2014-2023. All rights reserved.
Be the first to write a comment.