THEMATIC BRIEFING | JULY 2021 Deprivation of nationality and the prevention of statelessness in Europe 15 9. Conclusion and key actions This briefing demonstrates the links between deprivation of nationality and statelessness, providing a snapshot of current law, policy, and practice on deprivation of nationality in Europe. Drawing on data from the Statelessness Index, it has highlighted some of the good practices in ensuring that deprivation of nationality complies with international and regional instruments, whilst also showing how new and persisting risks of statelessness can arise from the exercise of these powers. Key action areas The following four key action areas highlight where urgent attention is needed from policy- and decision-makers to ensure compliance with international standards and prevent statelessness arising from the exercise of deprivation of nationality powers. Provide clear, updated, and accessible data on deprivation of nationality 1 • States should ensure that relevant public authorities publish disaggregated data on all individuals deprived of their nationality on an annual basis. • Data should be disaggregated at a minimum by age, sex/gender, ethnicity, place of residence, and should specify the grounds on which individuals were deprived of their nationality and whether they were on the territory at the time of being deprived of their nationality. Introduce or improve safeguards to prevent statelessness in all cases of deprivation or renunciation of nationality 2 • States should introduce legal safeguards to ensure that individuals are not deprived of their nationality on grounds that it was acquired through fraud if this would render them stateless. • In cases where nationality can only be acquired after renouncing all other nationalities, States must grant unconditional and irrevocable assurances that individuals will be granted nationality after renouncing their original nationality/ies. • States must ensure that procedures for renunciation of nationality are in line with international law and best practice, including guaranteeing that renunciation is only accepted after receiving a written assurance from the relevant State that the person has another nationality and facilitating reacquisition of nationality if statelessness arises after renunciation.