60As follows from recital 6 of Directive 2004/38, the objective of Article 3(2)(a) thereof is to ‘maintain the unity of the family in a broader sense’ by facilitating entry and residence for persons who are not included in the definition of ‘family member’ of a Union citizen contained in Article 2(2) of that directive but who nevertheless maintain close and stable family ties with a Union citizen on account of specific factual circumstances, such as economic dependence, being a member of the household or serious health grounds (judgment of 5 September 2012, Rahman and Others, C‑83/11, EU:C:2012:519, paragraph 32).
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