On February 2012, COMECE and other christian organisations published their Comments on the European Commission´s Green Paper on the right of family reunification of third-country nationals living in the European Union (Directive 2003/86/EC) COM (2011) 735final.

"In summary, we believe that a more generous practice in facilitating family reunification is in the spirit of the 2003 directive. We would encourage the adoption and enforcement of binding guidance on the respective provisions as a minimum option. In the case that responses of member states and the European Parliament to the green book allow to hope for

a speedy legislative process, amending the directive might be the preferred option. Even without new legislation, strong guidance on a more coherent application of existing legislation would be able to address a number of important issues. A more coherent national legislation and practice on family reunification across the EU, which acknowledges and protects the right to family reunification, which allows for a family reunification as early and as fully as possible and which tries to achieve empowerment by making rights a reality rather than denying rights to migrants and their families will certainly improve family life in the EU, social coherence in the EU and the credibility of the EU as an area of human rights."

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