ROME, 20/01/12 - Italian Home Affairs State Secretary Anna Maria Cancellieri will support Immigration Minister Gerd Leers at a meeting in Copenhagen at the end of this month when the Netherlands will push for a stricter European policy for family reunification, according to Leers.

The European Commission has asked the member states to comment on its proposal on family reunification. Leers considers that the rules must be tightened up and has written a proposal to this end, for which he is now seeking support.

"The Netherlands has sparked the debate, and there are positive reactions," said the minister after a meeting with Cancellieri in Rome. "She is also coming to Copenhagen and will support me". Leers did add that Italy is not in agreement with the Netherlands on all points.

Leers wants to impose stricter conditions on family members who come to Europe. "You could think of higher education and a higher age, for example at least 24 years. Marriages-of-convenience must be prevented. We must also prevent people landing up in an impoverished situation with no prospects, so integration and language lessons in the country of origin are necessary."