Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 4 February 2025.T.G. v Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid.Reference for a preliminary ruling – Asylum policy – Refugee status or subsidiary protection status – Directive 2011/95/EU – Article 34 – Access to integration facilities – Obligation to pass, on pain of a fine, a civic integration examination – Beneficiary of international protection who has not passed such an examination in time – Obligation to pay a fine – Obligation to bear the full costs of civic integration courses and examinations – Possibility of obtaining a loan in order to pay those costs.Case C-158/23.

This judgment concerns the interpretation of Article 34 of Directive 2011/95/EU regarding access to integration facilities for beneficiaries of international protection in EU Member States.The Court analyzed whether Netherlands legislation requiring refugees to pass civic integration exams and bear related costs complies with EU law. The key provisions examined were the obligation to pass integration exams under threat of fines and the requirement for beneficiaries to cover program costs through loans.The Court ruled that while Member States can require integration exams, they must:

• Consider refugees’ specific needs and integration challenges
• Set appropriate knowledge requirements
• Exempt those who demonstrate effective integration
• Not impose systematic or unreasonable fines for exam failure
• Not require beneficiaries to bear full costs of integration courses and exams

The Court found that the Netherlands’ system of mandatory full cost coverage by beneficiaries, even through loans, was incompatible with EU law as it placed unreasonable burdens on refugees and hindered their integration. The judgment establishes important principles for how Member States must structure integration requirements for international protection beneficiaries.

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