The Maastricht Treaty, which was signed on 7 February 1992 and entered into force on 1 November 1993, introduced the concept of European citizenship in addition to being the founding act of the European Union.
Like national citizenship, European citizenship designates a relationship between the citizen and the European Union (EU) characterised by rights, duties and participation in political life. Both rights and duties are guaranteed by the Commission, which is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the law in Europe.
The rights of individual citizens and European citizenship, on the other hand, are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and Article 18 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
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Rights related to European citizenship
Being a citizen of the Union means being guaranteed a series of rights, without any discrimination on the basis of one’s nationality, among them:
- the right to free movement and residence throughout the EU without any discrimination on the basis of one's nationality;
- the right to vote actively and passively in elections to the European Parliament. Every EU citizen has the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament or in municipal elections in any EU country in which he/she decides to reside under the same conditions as nationals of that country;
- the right to benefit on the territory of a third country (i.e. non-EU) from the diplomatic or consular protection of any of the 28 Member States in the event that the state of origin is not represented in the country;
- the right to petition the European Parliament and the right to complain to the European Ombudsman about maladministration by an EU institution or body, as well as the right to write to EU institutions and bodies in any of the official languages of the Member States;
- the right to access European Parliament, Council and Commission documents as specified in Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Support the values of the New European Bauhaus
The initiative New European Bauhaus (NEB), launched by the European Commission in 2020, aims to combine design, sustainability, accessibility and investment in order to contribute to the realisation of the European Green Deal.
The new Bauhaus is also a project of hope and therefore aims to benefit European citizens. Indeed, its main characteristic is that it is a participatory initiative, providing an ideal opportunity to bring the EU closer to its citizens and their territories through appropriate communication campaigns and bottom-up initiatives.
How to protect your rights?
If you feel that your rights have been violated by a decision or action of national institutions or authorities in the application of EU law, you can resort to countless tools to defend yourself.
These include:
- dialogue with the competent authorities to seek an amicable solution;
- the free assistance of the European Consumer Centre or the SOLVIT network for consumer or internal market issues;
- legal action before national courts or the Court of Justice of the European Union to obtain annulment or reparation of the damage suffered;
- a complaint to the European Commission to report a violation of EU law by a Member State;
- a complaint to the European Ombudsman to point out maladministration by EU institutions or bodies;
- a petition to the European Parliament to raise a matter of general or personal interest concerning the application of EU law.
Why is it important to know your rights?
Knowing your rights is important because it allows you to fully enjoy the benefits of EU membership and to actively participate in the construction of the common project.
Furthermore, knowing your rights helps you to defend yourself in case of violation or abuse by the authorities or others. Finally, knowing your rights makes you more aware of the values and principles that inspire the Union and that must be respected by all.
Don’t miss the EU initiatives
As we have seen, being a European citizen is a great source of pride, but it also means being aware of the work the Union does every day to guarantee your rights and give you more opportunities.
To keep up and not to miss all the initiatives related to Europe keep following us! If, on the other hand, you are interested in the topic or other similar ones, continue reading our JOurnal.
