Expatica news

Verdonk’s naturalisation bill called discriminatory

21 July 2005

THE HAGUE – Integration Minister Verdonk’s naturalisation plan is still discriminatory despite previously announced adjustments to the bill, according to confidential advice by the Council of State.

The news appeared in Thursday’s Volkskrant and was confirmed to the ANP by well-informed sources.

European law exempts citizens of EU member states from naturalisation requirements.

Nevertheless, Verdonk’s bill would require certain Dutch people to take naturalisation courses. This discriminates against them vis-à-vis people from other EU member countries, according to the Council of State.

So several hundred thousand people who have lived for years in the Netherlands but are still seen as insufficiently integrated may not face a naturalisation requirement.

It is not the first time Verdonk’s naturalisation bill has run into legal difficulties. The minister has already had to revise it once, late last year after the Adviescommissie voor Vreemdelingenzaken found it legally unsound.

Verdonk and the Cabinet want as many immigrants as possible who speak poor Dutch to take a naturalisation exam. They argue this would lead to more participation in society.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2005]

Subject: Dutch news