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The Council of Europe has been dealing with nationality questions for many years and has encouraged States to comply with certain minimum standards.
The present European standards in the field of nationality are codified in the European Convention on Nationality (ETS No. 166), adopted in 1997 and in force since 2000. This Convention consolidates in a single text all important issues relating to acquisition and loss of nationality.
The main principles of the Convention are the prevention of statelessness, non-discrimination in matters related to nationality and respect for legitimate private and public interests. The Convention aims at making the acquisition of a new nationality and the recovery of a former one easier, ensuring that nationality is lost only for good reason and cannot be withdrawn arbitrarily and guaranteeing that the procedures governing applications for nationality are just, fair and open to appeal. It also lays down the principles concerning persons in danger of being left stateless as a result of state succession and regulates military obligations of persons possessing more than one nationality.
 Link to the Treaty Office database with the text of the Convention, its Explanatory Report, Chart of signatures and ratifications, List of declarations, reservations and other communications
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