The Interaction between Directive 2003/86 and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the Family Reunification of a Third Country National

This contribution examines how the European Court of Justice (ECJ) interprets Directive 2003/86, 1 which sets forth a basic legal framework for family reunifi cation between third-country nationals in Member States of the European Union (EU) in the light of the values of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter). An examination of the case law shows how, under the infl uence of the Charter, the ECJ recognises a broad concept of family and yet follows a strict interpretation of the conditions set out by that Directive.