Dutch minister of Social Affairs and Employment, Koolmees, announced in a letter to the Parliament that a civic integration obligation for Turkish newcomers will be reintroduced. A recent decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports his proposal.

You can find the EU Court of Justice ruling here.

The Agreement between the European Union and Turkey states that no new restrictions may be imposed upon Turkish citizens. Requiring a civic integration obligation for Turkish nationals was therefore not possible.

The recent ruling of the Court of Justice however states that an exception is allowed when there are urgent and important reasons of general interest. Moreover, the new requirement has to be necessary, relevant and proportional. Koolmees believes that a civic integration obligation for Turkish newcomers meets those criteria.

His intention is to reintroduce the civic integration requirement simultaneously with the implementation of the new Civic Integration Act, in January 2021.

We will publish more on this subject in due time.