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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8598
Contents Publication in full By article 32 / 39
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) ep/immigration

Legal Affairs Committee to appeal Council proposal on integration tests for twelve year olds

Brussels, 03/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's Green/ALE group is indicating that, on its own initiative, the EP's Legal Affairs Committee unanimously called for the referral before the Court of Justice of the proposed Council Directive on the reunification of immigrant families because it would require that children above twelve undertake integration tests before deciding whether they may join their families in Europe. 'This terrible clause', contrary to the European Human Rights Convention, must be revoked, argued the Dutch Green Kathaliine Buitenweg, when wondering 'how much knowledge a kid who has grown up in a Turkish village can have on the subject of European society? And how many mistakes he will be allowed to make when he sings Jingle Bells?' The Scottish National Party member, Neil McCormick, added: 'it is crucial to have a Court ruling here, as it is the only way to ensure the primacy of human rights' in our European law.

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