2. INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK The ability of European States to deprive individuals of their nationality is limited by various international and human rights instruments. Core to these limitations is the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality, the obligation to prevent statelessness, and the prohibition of discrimination on certain protected grounds and between nationals. Article 15.2 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR), for example, states that ‘no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality’, whereas both the International Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (1961 Convention) and the European Convention on Nationality (ECN) only allow for statelessness to arise as a result of deprivation of nationality in very limited circumstances.7 Three normative frameworks setting limits on State practices of deprivation of nationality are especially relevant in the European context: the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Union.8 Of the 27 countries analysed in the Index, all are members of the Council of Europe and 18 are members of the European Union.9 20 have acceded to the 1961 Convention (France has signed but not acceded to the 1961 Convention).10 Of these, six entered reservations on deprivation of nationality permitting them to render individuals stateless in limited circumstances. 12 Index countries have acceded to the European Convention on Nationality (ECN), and a further seven have signed but not yet acceded.11 The right to a nationality The right to a nationality plays a crucial role in the recognition, protection, fulfilment, and respect of the full range of other human rights.5 The right to a nationality is enshrined in various international and regional human rights treaties and instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (Article 15), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (Article 24(3)), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) (Article 5(d)(iii)); the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Woman (CEDAW) (Article 9); the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (Articles 7 & 8); the European Convention on Nationality (ECN) (Article 4) and other regional treaties.6