Mandatory integration measures for beneficiaries of international protection and proportionality requirements: insights from the CJEU's recent case law

Abstract

This article examines the role of proportionality in EU integration policies for third-country nationals, an area marked by limited competences of the Union and heterogeneous national practices. Considering the Keren judgement as a point of departure, the analysis highlights how proportionality becomes the decisive factor for assessing the structure and implications of integration measures, requiring them to be individually tailored and free from disproportionate burdens. Moreover, the proportionality test is situated within the broader EU legal framework, while national practices are compared and evaluated against it. Finally, the discussion links these insights to the Migration and Asylum Pact, arguing that proportionality will remain the core benchmark for future EU integration policies.