At a recent meeting between representatives of the LCGB trade union and the Foreign Associations Liaison Committee (CLEA) on the bill on Luxembourg nationality, both parties generally welcomed the expected adjustment of the legislation.
Aware that the acquisition of Luxembourg nationality is both a question of access to civil rights and the attachment to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and its people, both organisations however regret that some proposals from the draft law no longer appear in the text tabled in the Chambre des députés.
The CLEA particularly regrets that the draft law no longer provides for the exemption in the Luxembourgish language assessment test for non-residents of Luxembourg who followed a 100-hour language course and who have had a usual residence of at least 8 years. This provision would have facilitated access to Luxembourg nationality to persons wishing to acquire Luxembourg nationality, but due to low school level are eventually unlikely to pass the language test despite the fact they did undertake serious efforts to learn Luxembourgish.
The LCGB and CLEA also felt that the language requirements are too restrictive and may make Luxembourgish a factor of exclusion rather than integration. The two parties stressed the importance of trilingualism in Luxembourg and French as the language in the labour market.
They also regretted the cumbersome administrative procedures for naturalisation as well as the lack of opportunity to learn Luxembourgish compared to demand. At this level improvements are absolutely necessary.
At the end of meeting, the LCGB and CLEA also took the opportunity to discuss the recent immigration resulting from the European economic crisis and conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Syria. Both organisations wish to remind people of the social challenges that accompany them, whether at the level of access to housing or the labour market.
