Brussels, 04/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The use of DNA tests to prove the existence of family collections is not against the European law on family reunion, the European Commission indicated on Thursday 4 October, in reference to the embattled debate which has broken out in France on this issue. The directive adopted in 2003 by the European governments provided that, in order to obtain proof of the existence of family connections, the member states may conduct interviews with the family reunion sponsor and members of his or her family, or carry out any other investigations which are felt to be necessary, stated Friso Roscam Abbing, the spokesperson for Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini. Although the European text makes no mention of the use of DNA tests, “it leaves the member states a lot of freedom”, the spokesperson explained, adding that as a result of this, it was up to the member states to define the way in which they established the family connection. Late in the night of 4 October, the French Senate is set to adopt a bill on “managing immigration”, which contains an amendment providing for this type of test to be used, on an experimental basis. The legislation of seven countries of the EU (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom) currently refers to the possibility of using DNA tests, in the absence of documentation. The directive on family reunion is designed to create common minimal standards throughout the EU but, in actual fact, the states have sufficient leeway in their interpretation of the measures prescribed. (bc)