Family Reunification: Headwind for Draft Law

New review statements from, among others, the Association of Judges and Caritas highlight legal concerns. Additionally, organizations like SOS Children's Villages and Kinderfreunde are calling for attention to the difficult situation of affected young people.

The Association of Judges points out in its statement that the EU Directive on Family Reunification does not imply the possibility of introducing a waiting period. Furthermore, the possibility of delay complaints is seen as placing a greater burden on the judiciary. At least 600 additional, particularly complex cases are expected annually, which would push the judiciary to its capacity limits.

Caritas looks abroad

Caritas emphasizes that there have already been attempts by other member states to justify restrictions in asylum law through an emergency clause, all of which have failed at the ECJ. In Austria, there is certainly no emergency situation, the aid organization points out, referring to declining numbers in both asylum applications and entries under family reunification.

For Diakonie, it is a constitutionally and European legally problematic draft law. The "stop" also does not solve any problems, does not address the actual challenges in the education sector, and proves to be by no means the least severe means in dealing with the current challenges.

Criticism also from SOS Children's Villages

SOS Children's Villages states that the current draft law will not improve the situation of children and adolescents in Austria and is, in many parts, clearly in violation of children's rights. The idea that hindering or suspending family reunifications will change or even improve the situation is simply devoid of evidence.

The Children's Friends emphasize that children should not be made losers of migration policy measures. The draft law directly contradicts several fundamental principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, such as the right to family and parental care.

Integration Fund points to challenges

The Integration Fund, in turn, is eager to underline the government's line of argument. Family reunification brings far-reaching challenges for integration - particularly in the areas of language acquisition, education, and labor market integration. It is noted, for example, that women who join later learn German more slowly and their labor market integration is lower. It is challenging for educational institutions that the number of children born here to women who came through family reunification is also increasing enormously. Finally, there is a reference to the strong increase in youth crime among people of Syrian descent.

(APA/Red)

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