204 Mrekajová proposed as one of the measures to reduce statelessness. Yet, there are still no clear and comprehensive guidelines explaining what actually amounts to facilitated naturalization and what the States should do to comply with this obligation. This article will therefore try to identify international and European ­standards for facilitated access to citizenship and to outline some recom­ menda­tions which could help to eliminate ‘unreasonable impediments’3 to naturalization for such a particular group of applicants as are the stateless ­persons. We will focus in particular on the assessment of material requirements and procedural aspects of naturalization. In this light, some stan­dards on facilitated naturalization may be extracted. These will be discussed below. 2 Material Requirements 2.1 Residence A very concrete standard relating to naturalization is provided by the 1997 European Convention on Nationality, which determines that States may not demand more than ten years of lawful residence as a pre-condition to naturalization.2 Recommendation 564 (1969) of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe interpreting the facilitated naturalization of refugees instructs to reduce the minimum period of residence if it exceeds five years. Per analogiam this interpretation may be used also for the purposes of facilitated naturalization of stateless persons. Nationality (adopted 6 November 1997, entered into force 1 March 2000) ETS 166, Art. 6 (4) (g) <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b36618.html> accessed 14 October 2013; Explanatory report to the European Convention on Nationality, ETS 166, para. 52 <http:// conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Reports/Html/166.htm> accessed 14 October 2013; Recom­ mendation No. R (99) 18 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the Avoidance and Reduction of Statelessness (adopted on 15 September 1999) No. R (99) 18 <http:// www.refworld.org/docid/510101e02.html> accessed 14 October 2013 and per ­analogiam Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted 28 July 1951, entered into force 22 April 1954) 189 UNTS 137 (Refugee Convention) <http://www.refworld.org/docid/ 3be01b964.html> accessed 14 October 2013 and Recommendation 564 (1969) on the Acquisition by Refugees of the Nationality of Their Country of Residence (adopted 30 September 1969) 564 (1969), para. 9(i)(b) <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b38178. html> accessed 14 October 2013. 2 European Convention on Nationality, Art 6(3) as cited by Laura van Waas, Nationality Matters: Statelessness Under International Law (Intersentia 2008) 367. tilburg law review 19 (2014) 203-211