EU citizenship and democracy

–

On 9 July, the European Commission published a new Eurobarometer survey on citizenship and democracy in the EU:
> Read the survey

It shows that a large majority of Europeans (91%) are aware of the term ‘citizen of the European Union’. This is the highest level of awareness since 2007 and a steady increase from 87% in 2015. Most Europeans are well informed about their electoral rights, both at national and European level.

The European Commission has also launched a public consultation on EU citizens’ rights:
> Discover the public consultation

This consultation aims to gather information, experiences and opinions on EU citizenship rights, which will be included in the next report on EU citizenship. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, this consultation also includes questions on the impact of emergency measures on EU citizenship rights. All citizens and organisations are invited to contribute to this consultation until 1 October 2020.

The results of the Eurobarometer on EU Citizenship and Democracy, the public consultation and a wider stakeholder consultation (to be launched in the second half of 2020), will be incorporated into the next Report on EU Citizenship. This Report will present concrete actions to advance EU citizenship rights. It will complement the Action Plan for European Democracy, both of which are to be adopted by the end of 2020.

Nationals of EU Member States are automatically EU citizens, and EU citizenship confers important rights. These include
– non-discrimination on the basis of nationality,
– the right to live and move within the EU,
– participation in the political life of the EU,
– consular protection, if needed abroad, from the embassy or consulate of any other EU country, if one’s own country is not represented,
– the right to petition the European Parliament and to complain to the European Ombudsman, etc.

These rights are set out in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In this context, the CNUE fully supports all measures taken to ensure that EU citizenship rights benefit citizens, to involve citizens more in the democratic life of the Union, to promote the common values of the EU and to strengthen the protection of all European citizens.