The Case

European Community Freedom of movement. A Turkish national, who was authorised while he was a child to enter the territory of a member state in order to join his family and who had acquired the right of free access to any paid employment of his choice under art7 of Decision 1-80 of the Association Council (on the development of the Association) lost the right of free access only in two situations, namely, in the circumstances provided for in art14(1) of that decision or if he left the territory of the member state concerned for a significant length of time without legitimate reason, even though he was over 21 years of age, was no longer dependent on his parents, but lived independently in the member state concerned and was not available to join the labour force for several years because he was during that period serving a sentence of imprisonment. Such an interpretation was not inconsistent with the requirements of art59 of the Additional Protocol concluded, approved and confirmed on behalf of the Community by Council Regulation (EEC) 2760-72. Article 14(1) of the decision had to be interpreted as not precluding the taking of an expulsion measure against a Turkish national who had been the subject of several criminal convictions, provided that his behaviour constituted a genuine and sufficiently serious threat to a fundamental interest of society. It was for the national court to determine whether that was the case in the main proceedings.