Several NGOs and legal academics lodged a complaint with the European Commission against Austria over new rules restricting refugees' right to family reunification. A new federal law introduces annual quotas on how many family members of refugees may enter and live in Austria.
The organisations behind the complaint, including Asylkoordination Österreich, Diakonie in Österreich, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) Europe and Prof. Dr Anuscheh Farahat, argue that the quota system breaches EU law and will leave more refugee families separated, including family members in unsafe conditions abroad. They are calling on the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against Austria.
This follows an earlier complaint submitted in April 2026 over Austria’s temporary suspension of family reunification, which is still pending. The complainants argue that Austria is undermining EU protection for refugee families and disregarding the rule of law. The complaint, dated 15 September 2026, can be found here.
- European Council on Refugees and Exiles (25 September, 2026), [CENTRAL EUROPE: Civil society legal complaint about new quota system for family reunification in Austria ― (...)],