Press Release: Expulsion of Union citizens by Germany on public policy grounds: the Commission decides to refer the matter to the Court of Justice

The European Commission has referred the expulsion of Union citizens by Germany to the Court of Justice on 8 October 2001. The Commission hopes to obtain a ruling to the effect that Germany has violated the Community rules laying down the formal and substantive conditions to be met when a Member State expels a citizen of the Union on public policy grounds. The Court, which has on several occasions given a preliminary ruling on restrictions to the free movement of persons on public policy grounds, is being asked for the first time to rule on a Member State's failure to fulfil its obligations in this area.