









Productions
12 September 2007
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BBC Scotland / Eorpa
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The new Dutch naturalisation law |
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After the implementation of the new Dutch naturalisation law around 250 thousand migrants, who often already live in The Netherlands for years, are obliged to do a naturalisation course and exams. The costs for the course and the exams have to be partly paid by the migrants themselves. The new law caused a lot of commotion. Eventually the Dutch government wanted to oblige all 800.000 migrants that come from outside of Europe to do the course. This was forbidden by the Dutch Council of State, since it is impossible to oblige naturalised Dutch people to do the exams. The new law obliges migrants to learn Dutch, to improve the knowledge of the Dutch society and learning to read and especially talk are the main activities. Most of the Dutch municipalities have outsourced the activities. The naturalisation course and exams need to be finished in five years. If people do not manage to pass the exams in time they will be fined. A varied migrant group gets a cultural language tour through the Amsterdam historical museum. Some so-called old comers from Turkey that already live in The Netherlands for many years complain, and the duo-project – one on one meetings between Dutch volunteers and migrants - is portrayed.
Activities: propose reportage idea, research and set-up, accompany filming, interviews.