The parliamentary committee on immigration, integration and asylum decided in a special committee meeting held on 30 May 2012, which proposals of law it would deem controversial with a view to the upcoming elections in September 2012.

Proposals of law which are deemed controversial are ‘shelved’ until after the elections because the current (caretaker) government can no longer count on a majority in a parliamentary vote.

The restrictions on family reunification per 1 July 2012 (limitation of family reunification to married spouses; abolishment of the policy of extended family reunification for children over 18 years old and parents above 65 years old; extension of the term for continued residency from three to five years) have been deemed controversial by the parliamentary committee.

See here for the original (Dutch) decision.

This decision from the parliamentary committee needs to be confirmed in a plenary debate and vote in parliament. The date of this plenary debate is not yet known.

See here for the procedure (Dutch text).

The decision of the parliamentary committee is therefore not a definite one (yet) but of course the fact that the parliamentary committee itself decided to deem this proposal controversial is a hopeful sign.

As soon as more news becomes available you will be able to read about it here.

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