Bulgaria and eight other European Union member states have formally requested that the European Commission tighten regulations on family reunification for refugees, citing an unsustainable burden on national social systems.
In a joint letter addressed to European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner, the nine nations—Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, and Luxembourg—argued that the existing EU directive is in urgent need of an overhaul. According to the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), these countries are seeking a unified European regulatory framework to provide a clear legal basis for future limitations on arrivals.
The signatory countries report that their schools, healthcare systems, and housing sectors are struggling to accommodate the influx. Urban schools are particularly affected, as they have absorbed a high number of children who often lack necessary prior education or linguistic preparation.
The ministers also cited pressure on childcare facilities, the labor market, and public health systems. While several governments have already initiated national-level restrictions to manage these challenges, they are now pushing for a more sustainable, continent-wide approach.
The current EU directive grants the right of family reunification to immediate family members, specifically spouses and minor children, provided they do not pose a threat to public order or national security.
Austria recently suspended family reunification for just over a year, citing the strain on its social and educational systems. The country has since transitioned to a quota-based system, limiting the number of successful applications to 314 spots for the current and upcoming year.
The legality of both the temporary suspension and the quota system remains a point of contention within the courts, with no definitive ruling established to date, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported.
This push for reform follows years of debate over migration policies that have previously seen member states struggle to balance humanitarian obligations against the capacity limits of their domestic infrastructure.
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