Family Member

The decisions of the ECJ reflect the fact that the protection of the rights of family members is based not on the formal unity of the family, but on the protection of vulnerable people in need of solidarity, who have duties and responsibilities as the holders of family status. The main EU law in this field is Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. This chapter tries to show how the status of the family member has been defined by taking account of the principles of mutual recognition, freedom of movement of persons and right of establishment, evaluating them with a broader meaning and applying them in accordance with the non-discrimination principle enshrined in Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in particular.