Meijers Committee standing committee of experts on international immigration, refugee and criminal law birth into a mixed marriage, from naturalised immigrant parents or from non-citizen parents in country with a ius-soli system or naturalisation - it is clear that the large majority of dual nationals are of immigrant origin. They are migrants or children of migrants. In countries where the official policy is to avoid dual nationality (e.g. Germany and the Netherlands), exceptions are made for large categories of persons who are not required to denounce their previous nationality at naturalisation, such as refugees, spouses of nationals or for whom renunciation is legally impossible. Due to that last exception almost all Dutch nationals of Moroccan origin are dual nationals. French researchers concluded that 90% of the French dual citizens are immigrants or descendants of immigrants.24 This fact is relevant for answering the legal question whether unfavourable treatment in legislation or government practice which de iure or de facto can only be applied to dual nationals is compatible with the prohibition of racial or ethnic discrimination. The overwhelming majority of single Dutch, French or German nationals will be ethnic Dutch, French or Germans. They do not run the risk of being deprived of their nationality however outrageous the terrorist acts they committed may be. The overwhelming majority of dual nationals are of immigrant origin and run the risk of being deprived of their nationality if their engagement in terrorist activities is established. Many dual nationals do not have the option of getting rid of their second nationality since the countries concerned in law or in practice do not allow their nationals to renounce their nationality. Considering their other nationality, according to the official Dutch statistics, in 2014 more than 350,000 Dutch dual nationals were in that position. In the 2015 official estimate 15% of the German dual nationals had the nationality of a country that does not allow voluntary loss of nationality. 3. Recent legislation on withdrawal of nationality in EU Member States in relation to the fight against terrorism The differences in treatment experienced by dual nationals are well illustrated by the developments in several EU Member States (and the UK) regarding the withdrawal of nationality in relation to the fight against terrorism. Over the past ten years several Member States have introduced or reinforced legislation enabling the revocation of nationality of citizens who are convicted for or believed to have engaged in terrorist activities. These legislative changes were generally spurred by fears of terrorist acts by nationals of EU Member States who sympathize with Islamic State and/or travelled to Syria or Iraq in connection with the group. The table below shows which Member States have enacted legislation with the specific aim of withdrawing the nationality of (suspected) terrorists. With the exception of France, Denmark and the UK, this new ground for withdrawal was introduced quite recently, in or after 2014 when IS started its activities in Syria. In all States but Italy and the UK revocation of nationality is only possible if this will not result in the person concerned becoming stateless. The consequence of this exemption is that only persons with dual (or multiple) nationality can lose their nationality under the relevant provisions. 24 Simon 2010. 5