Meijers Committee
standing committee of experts on international immigration,
refugee and criminal law
Netherlands
201034;
201735
conviction for terrorist
offence(s);
membership of armed
organisation abroad
posing a threat to
national security
no
yes
Romania
199136
yes
no
United Kingdom
200637;
201438
connection to or
support for terrorist
organisation
withdrawal of
citizenship is
conducive to the
public good;
withdrawal conducive
to the public good
because of behaviour
seriously prejudicial to
UK’s vital interests
yes, where the
ground is
behaviour
seriously
prejudicial to the
UK’s vital
interests
yes, unless the
ground is
behaviour
seriously
prejudicial to the
UK’s vital
interests and
‘there is
reasonable
ground to believe
that another
nationality can be
obtained’.
where citizenship
is withdrawn
because of
membership of an
armed
organisation, this
is done by
administrative
decision
no
no
Unless otherwise indicated the data presented in this table are taken from the Global Citizenship Observatory
(GLOBALCIT) Database on Modes of Loss of Citizenship (last visited 24 November 2020) or from the report
‘Withdrawing nationality as a measure to combat terrorism: a human rights compatible approach?’, by the
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Doc.
14790 of 7 January 2019.
From the table it also appears that in some states (Belgium, France and Italy) only naturalised
citizens or those who acquired the nationality after birth in another way (declaration or
option) can be deprived of their nationality because of terrorist activities. In France, citizens
can be deprived of their nationality until 15 years after naturalisation. In Belgium a similar
restriction in time (10 years) applied until 2015. In Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland and
the Netherlands, citizens by birth can be deprived of their nationality. This also applies to the
revocation ground most used in the UK (conducive to the public good). Four of the six states
having the power to revoke the nationality of citizens by birth may take that decision without
a previous criminal conviction. A previous conviction is required in Belgium, France and Italy
but also in Denmark and Finland.
34
Art. 14 (2) Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap.
Art. 14 (4) Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap.
36
Art. 25 (1)(d) Legea cetăţeniei române.
37
Art. 40 (2) British Nationality Act.
38
Art. 40 (4A) British Nationality Act.
35
7