European Convention on Nationality

Abstract

This convention embodies principles and rules applying to all aspects of nationality. It is designed to make acquisition of a new nationality and recovery of a former one easier, to ensure that nationality is lost only for good reason and cannot be arbitrarily withdrawn, to guarantee that the procedures governing applications for nationality are just, fair and open to appeal, and to regulate the situation of persons in danger of being left stateless as a result of state succession. It also covers multiple nationality, military obligations and co-operation between states parties. Some of the essential principles behind the text are: prevention of statelessness, non-discrimination: in regulating questions of nationality, states must avoID all discrimination on grounds of sex, religion, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, etc, and respect for the rights of persons habitually resident on the territories concerned.