Report on the implementation of Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents

Summary:

Report presented on 29 March 2019 by the European Commission on the implementation of Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents in EU Member States.

Further information:

The Commission’s first report on the implementation of Directive 2003/109/EC, published in September 2011, revealed a general lack of information among third-country nationals about the EU long-term residence (LTR) status and the rights attached to it, as well as a number of shortcomings in the transposition of the Directive into national law.

This second report gives an updated overview of how EU Member States have been transposing and implementing the Directive, including for the first time information on the implementation of Directive 2011/51/EU which amended Directive 2003/109/EC by extending its scope to beneficiaries of international protection.

Member States had until May 2013 to transpose Directive 2011/51/EU into their national legislation. The Commission launched infringement proceedings against 11 Member States for not having transposed the Directive in time or for not having properly informed the Commission of the adoption of national legislation. Eight of these cases have been closed.

This report has been drawn up on the basis of a study conducted by an external contractor throughout the period 2014-2016 and of other sources, including complaints, petitions, information exchanges with Member States, and infringement procedures.