EUROPEAN UNION. What does it mean to be a Citizen of the European Union? EU European Union citizenship. Population. Total area. Official languages

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1 :10:31 Uhr :10:31 Uhr EUROPEAN UNION European Year of Citizens EU European Union citizenship 28 1 Member States Population 508 million Total area Socrates once said, I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world. Strictly, however, citizenship involves a legal link between individuals and a territorial political entity. European Union citizenship was created in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty on European Union (Article 17). As a result, nationals of an EU Member State are also citizens of the European Union. The Amsterdam Treaty (1997) and the Treaty of Lisbon (2007) state unequivocally that citizenship of the EU shall complement and not replace national citizenship. 4,5 million km² Official languages 24 Headquarters What does it mean to be a Citizen of the European Union? European Union citizenship confers several rights in addition to those granted by national citizenship. These rights are enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Treaties and include the following: Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg Currency Złoty 17 Member States have the euro and 11 maintain their national currencies to move and reside freely within the territory of the EU; to vote and to stand as a candidate in European Parliament and municipal elections in the Member State of residence; any EU citizen in a non-eu country where his/her own national state has no representation is entitled to protection by the diplomatic or consular authorities of any other EU state; to petition the European Parliament and complain to the European Ombudsman; to launch or participate in a European Citizens Initiative, whereby one million citizens from a minimum of 8 Member States can together invite the European Commission to submit appropriate proposals on issues falling within its competence.

2 Do we feel like European citizens? A EU citizenship: rights and awareness The European Union is made up of, and exists for, its citizens. The existence of European Union legal rights, however, is not sufficient EU citizens must also have equal opportunties to exercise and fully enjoy their rights. Figure 1. EU27 response to Do you know what your rights are as an EU citizen? 2 Yes 54 % 45 % % 2011 Yes 47 % Figure 2. EU27 response to Would you like to know more about your rights as an EU citizen? 3 34 % 3 % Yes % 2 % 25 % Yes % According to a recent Eurobarometer survey (2012) 4, EU citizens are interested in mobility within the EU. The main areas in which they would like to know more about their rights are working and receiving medical assistance in another EU country (4 and 36 % respectively), followed closely by living in another EU country (35 %).

3 B Participation Citizenship education The formulation and development of citizenship curricula in the Member States of the European Union is influenced by prevailing education policies and developments in teaching and learning. A major influence in recent years has been the 2006 European Recommendation 5 on key competences for lifelong learning, which included social and civic competences as one of the key competences that each citizen should be equipped with by the end of compulsory education. Citizenship education is commonly understood to include four main aspects: (a) political literacy, (b) critical thinking and analytical skills, (c) attitudes and values, and (d) active participation. Volunteering in the EU In total, there are 92 to 94 million adult volunteers all over the EU (23 % of all Europeans over 15 years of age). Volunteering is a creator of human and social capital, a pathway to integration and employment, and a key factor for improving social cohesion. Volunteering is also a very visible expression of responsible, participatory citizenship that benefits and shapes European society on a daily basis and in many varied ways. Volunteers also play an important role in helping citizens, particularly the disadvantaged, to enjoy their EU-rights more fully. e-participation across the EU The EU institutions use e-participation to improve communication with European citizens, make their policies more transparent and help ensure more inclusive participation. Figure 3. e-participation levels across Europe 6 Local 33 % Regional 13 % National 30 % Transnational International 4 % European 19 % There are many e-participation initiatives across Europe, operating at different levels and allowing different forms of involvement from the public and other stakeholders. A range of debates, chats and consultations is available online, such as the Debate Europe 7, Commission Consultations 8, Commissioners blogs, EUTube and EUParl TV.

4 C Confidence in the EU institutions The level of European citizens confidence in the EU institutions has declined steadily over the past 5 years 9. Between 2007 and 2012, confidence in the Commission dropped from 52 % to 36 %, in the Parliament from 56 % to 40 %, and the Council from 47 % to 40 %. (Data for the Council are available only until 2010). Interestingly, confidence in the national authorities is even lower in most Member States 10. D Voting in European Parliament elections Since 1979, when Europeans voted for their MEPs for the first time, the EU average turnout at the European elections has fallen steadily, from % in 1979 to 43 % in Despite this, and despite the decline in confidence in the European Union s institutions, Europeans believe that the three best ways of making their voices heard by EU decision-makers are: 1. Voting in European elections 57 % 2. Through a European Citizens Initiative 29 % 3. Writing to their MEP % te that in some EU Member States voting is compulsory, such as Belgium, Cyprus, Greece and Luxembourg. In Italy it is a civic obligation, but without penalty for those who do not vote. 12

5 Figure 4. EU27 average turnout at the European elections ( ) % 60 % 61,99 % 58,98 % 58,4 56,67 % 50 % 49,5 45,47 % 43 % 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 % EU27 turnout Legend: 1979: EU9 9 Member States: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. 1984: EU10 9 Member States + Greece (joined in 1981). 1989: EU12 10 Member States + Portugal and Spain (joined in 1986). 1994: EU12 12 Member States. 1999: EU15 12 Member States + Austria, Finland and Sweden (joined in 1995). 2004: EU25 15 Member States + Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia (joined in 2004). 2009: EU27 25 Member States + Bulgaria and Romania (joined in 2007). If European citizens encounter obstacles in exercising their rights as citizens of the EU, they can contact Your Europe. This is a service designed to help EU citizens move, live, study, work, shop or simply travel in other EU countries without hindrances. For more information about their EU rights, European citizens can call for free on , visit or contact one of the 500 Europe Direct Information Centres around the European Union (more info: If citizens encounter a misapplication of Internal Market laws by public authorities, they can contact the EU s SOLVIT service. For more information, go to 1 As of July 2013, Croatia is the 28th Member States of the EU with its 24 official languages and 11 national currencies beyond the euro. 2 Source: Standard Eurobarometer 77, 2012, European Citizenship. 3 Source: Standard Eurobarometer 77, 2012, European Citizenship 4 Source: Standard Eurobarometer 77, 2012, European Citizenship 5 Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (December 2006). 6 Source: European Commission, DG Information Society and Media, 2009, European eparticipation Summary Report. 7 Source: 8 Source: 9 Source: European Parliament Eurobarometer, 2012, Two years to go to the 2014 European elections, (EB/EP 77.4). 10 Source: Standard Eurobarometer 77, 2012, Public Opinion in the European Union 11 Source: Standard Eurobarometer 77, 2012, Public Opinion in the European Union 12 Source: 13 Source: