Austria has joined eight other European Union member states in calling for stricter rules on the family reunification of refugees, arguing that growing migration has placed increasing pressure on public services, schools, housing and labour markets, reported by Die Presse.
In a joint letter addressed to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, the interior ministers of Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Bulgaria and Luxembourg have urged the European Commission to revise the bloc’s existing Family Reunification Directive. The letter, sent on Friday and obtained by the Austrian Press Agency (APA), calls for a common European framework that would allow member states to introduce tighter restrictions.
The ministers argue that countries which have received large numbers of migrants are now facing additional challenges as refugees seek to bring their family members to Europe. They particularly highlight the pressure on schools in urban areas, where large numbers of newly arrived children have entered classrooms, some with little or no previous formal education.
Housing, kindergartens, healthcare services and labour markets are also reportedly struggling to cope with growing demand, the ministers point out.
Several EU countries have already introduced national measures to restrict family reunification. However, the signatories believe that individual national policies are not enough and that a coordinated European approach is necessary. They are therefore calling for changes to the existing EU directive to provide a clearer legal basis for restrictive measures.
Under current EU rules, refugees are generally entitled to reunification with their immediate family members, including spouses and minor children, provided the individuals concerned do not pose a threat to public security or public order.
Austria has already taken significant steps in this direction. After suspending family reunification for more than a year, the government has recently introduced a quota system. Only 314 places have been allocated for this year and the following year.
However, both the suspension and the subsequent quota based system remain legally controversial, with their compatibility with existing laws yet to be conclusively determined by the courts.
