Background: 

On 28 May 2024, Norway formally recognised Palestine as an independent State. This recognition led to the issuance of instructions stating that those considered citizens of Palestine would no longer be eligible for the less strict citizenship rules applied to stateless individuals. However, UNHCR subsequently recommended that Norway revise these instructions to ensure compliance with the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, noting that Palestine does not have a law of citizenship. In response to this urgency, information was sought from other EMN Member Countries to assess their legal frameworks and practices. 

Respondents: 

19 EMN Member Countries (including BE) provided a public answer to this ad hoc query. 

Findings: 

A preliminary analysis of the results of the ad hoc query shows that: 

• Recognition of Palestine as a sovereign State varies significantly among EMN Members. Several EMN Member Countries recognised Palestine decades ago (including BG and CY in 1988, as well as PL, SE and SK). Others have extended recognition recently, such as NO and IE in May 2024, SI in June 2024, and LU in September 2025. However, many responding EMN Member Countries (including AT, BE, CZ, EE, FI, DE, IT, LV, LT, and NL) do not currently recognise Palestine as a sovereign State. 

• The determination of statelessness for individuals from Gaza, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem is handled differently across EMN Members. Some EMN Member Countries (including CZ, CY, LT, and PL) still consider these individuals to be stateless persons. Conversely, other EMN Member Countries (such as BG, SK, and SI) do not consider them stateless if they possess valid identification documents issued by Palestinian authorities. In BE, the statelessness status is determined by independent courts, leading to non-uniform case law in the case of Palestinians. 

• In most responding EMN Members, Palestinian nationals do not benefit from special, less stringent provisions for acquiring citizenship applicable to stateless persons. The majority of EMN Member Countries (including BG, CY, IE, PL, SK, SI, and SE) exclude individuals deemed to be Palestinian nationals from these easier pathways. Notable exceptions include LU, where Palestinians granted refugee or stateless status can use simplified procedures, and LT, which provides specific safeguards to ensure children born to stateless parents do not remain stateless.  

• The primary criterion used to determine Palestinian nationality is the possession of official documentation. Most EMN Member Countries (including BG, CY, SK, SI, and SE) consider the possession of a Palestinian passport or identity card with a valid identification number as sufficient proof of nationality. Some EMN Member Countries also consider registration with UNRWA during their assessments. Generally, EMN Member Countries reported that their application of these criteria has not changed despite recent events in the territories. 

For further details, please read the compilation of answers attached above.