In 2013, nearly 985,000 persons acquired citizenship of an EU Member State, an increase of 20% (or 163,000 persons) compared to 2012.
The main contribution to the increase in persons acquiring EU Member State citizenship in 2013 came from:
- Spain (an increase of 131,700 from 2012)[1]
- Italy (an increase of 35,300)
- United Kingdom (an increase of 13,600)
- Greece (an increase of 9,200)
The most new citizenships were granted in:
- Spain (225,800 persons or 23% of all citizenships granted in the EU in 2013)
- United Kingdom (207,500 or 21%)
- Germany (115,100 or 12%)
- Italy (100,700 or 10%) and
- France (97,300 or 10%)
Ireland granted citizenship to 24,263 persons in 2013, which represents a slight decrease on 2012 figures (25,000 people).
When compared with the total population of each Member State, the highest rates of citizenship granted were recorded in:
- Ireland (5.3 per thousand persons)
- Sweden (5.2)
- Spain (4.8)
- Luxembourg (4.7)
In 2013, the largest groups that acquired citizenship of an EU Member State were citizens of:
- Moroccans (86,500 or 8.8%)
- Indians (48,300 or 4.9%)
- Turks (46,500 or 4.7%)
- Colombia (42,000 or 4.2%
- Albanians (41,700 or 4.2%)
In Ireland, the largest groups that acquired citizenship[2] in the same period were citizens of:
- Nigeria (5,800 or 25.7%)
- India (3,000 or 13.4%)
- Philippines (2,500 or 11.1%)
- Pakistan (1,800 or 8%)
- Ukraine (700 or 3.1%)
For more information:
Eurostat Acquisition of citizenship statistics
[1] The increase in Spain is a consequence of a change in the source of information, concept and time reference
[2] Figures for Ireland are provisional
