This article describes the path from the local, regional, and national identity to the European citizenship. It also explains the main rights of the European citizens and which factors contributed to bring the European citizenship concept closer to them.
Citizenship is the official relationship between an individual and a nation state. This relationship defines his/her membership of a society. As citizens, individuals are entitled to certain rights. For example they can take part in political life, vote or stand for election. In the world, states apply various rules regarding citizenship. For example individuals can hold one or more citizenships.
Many historians point out that an important achievement in shaping the European citizenship concept was the first election for the European Parliament, held in June 1979. All the EU citizens were invited to take part in the decision-making process by electing their representatives. Five years later, in 1984, the Committee of Europe of the Citizens was set up to respond to the expectations of the Europeans by strengthening and promoting European citizenship both inside and outside the EU.
The European citizenship concept was officially introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht, in 1992. In its Article 8.1 it is mentioned that any person having the nationality of a member State is a citizen of the Union. As some citizens expressed their concerns in terms of losing their national citizenship, The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) states that European citizenship complements and does not replace national citizenship.
EU citizenship offers certain rights and privileges within the EU; in many areas EU citizens have the same or similar rights as native citizens in member states. Such rights granted to EU citizens include:
the right to travel, live, work and study in every country of the EU (in other words this right is called the right of abode. That means that a person who has the right of abode in a country does not need permission from the government to enter the country and can live and work there without restriction.)
the right to vote and the right to stand in local and European Parliament elections
the right to submit a petition to the European Parliament or to European Ombudsman in relation to maladministration within the EU institutions
the right to diplomatic protection; nationals of one Member State can benefit from the protection of any other Member State, outside the EU.
Over the past years, two factors contributed to bringing the European citizenship concept closer to people: the single currency, namely the Euro and a common passport design used by the EU Member States (both country name and “European Union” or its translation are printed on the cover). In other words, understanding European citizenship should start with valuing all of the different identity layers which define each of us, from local, regional, and national to European level.
Speak Out! on European citizenship This website provides a forum where young people can share their views and opinions on issues that matter to them.
For a real European Citizenship by María Miguel Sierra and Jyostna Patel This document treats the concept of European citizenship and the rights associated with European citizenship.
