Thursday

7th Dec 2023

UK grants highest number of EU citizenships

  • A total of 810,500 people received EU citizenship in 2010 (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

Over 810,000 people were given EU citizenship in 2010, with Moroccans forming the largest group coming to the EU, followed by Turks, Ecuadorians and Indians.

With 67,000 Moroccans granted nationality, they account for top foreign groups in Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Turks (49,900 in total) tend to go to Germany, where they they are the top group receiving citizenship.

Ecuadorians go to Spain and Indians go to the UK, reflecting longstanding labour, historical or cultural ties.

Some member states grant citizenship predominantly to one nationality.

Sixty-five percent of Hungary's naturalised citizens come from Romania, while Albanians made up 65 percent of Greece's new citizens.

People from the former Soviet Union - with no recognised citizenship - accounted for 96 percent and 91 percent of new citizens in Latvia and Estonia.

Nigerians were the biggest group to receive citizenship in Ireland, while Portuguese topped the list in Luxembourg, Australians in Malta, Iraqis in Sweden and Ukrainians in both the Czech Republic and Poland.

In terms of numbers, the UK took on the most citizens with 195,000, followed by France (143,000), Spain (124,000) and Germany (105,000) - altogether accounting for 70 percent.

But in proportional terms, Luxembourg topped the list granting 4,300 citizenships, working out at 8.6 citizenships per 1,000 inhabitants.

Next down the scale were Sweden (3.5) and Belgium (3.2).

On average 1.6 citizenships were granted per 1,000 inhabitants in the EU in 2010.

Barroso warns of extremism in immigration debate

Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has said the Tunisia immigration debate risks being hijacked by "populist and extremist" forces in Europe, even as Italian right-wing politicians suggested using weapons against migrants.

Europeans say they are tolerant, but oppose immigration

Europeans like to think of themselves as being liberal and tolerant, but at the same time oppose immigration, particularly from countries outside the EU, a poll carried out in Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Spain shows.

Orban's sovereignty bill seen as fresh attack on rule of law

Hungary's new sovereignty law has been criticised by the opposition as 'another dark milestone' for the country's democratic values and the rule of law — and it could bring yet another clash between Budapest and Brussels.

Analysis

How Wilders' Dutch extremism goes way beyond Islamophobia

Without losing sight of his pervasive Islamophobia, it is essential to note Geert Wilders' far-right extremism extends to other issues that could drastically alter the nature of Dutch politics — and end its often constructive role in advancing EU policies.

Latest News

  1. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  2. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  3. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  4. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?
  5. Crunch talks seek breakthrough on EU asylum overhaul
  6. Polish truck protest at Ukraine border disrupts war supplies
  7. 'Green' banks lend most to polluters, reveals ECB
  8. Tense EU-China summit showdown unlikely to bear fruit

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us