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'EU Citizens' Rights - The way forward': Consultation on how to strengthen the rights stemming from European Union Citizenship

Policy field(s)

· Freedom;

· Justice and Security;

· Union Citizenship.

Target group(s)

We welcome contributions from all citizens and relevant stakeholders, including European countries, EU institutions, national, regional and local authorities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, academia, social partners and civil society organisations.

Period of consultation

From 19.04.2010 to 14.06.2010

Objective of the consultation

A substantial legal framework is in place to guarantee EU citizens the rights stemming from EU citizenship. The Commission is also implementing measures to ensure that citizens are aware of their rights and to secure the full implementation of these rights.

However, there remains a gap between the applicable legal rules and the practical reality citizens are faced with in their daily life.

The Commission is launching this consultation with a view to identifying concrete actions to take in order to remove the administrative and procedural obstacles created by national boundaries to the effective exercise of citizens' rights, with particular reference to issues such as:

· free movement of persons;

· diplomatic and consular protection;

· electoral rights;

· free movement of civil status documents;

· consumers' rights.

The ideas put forward in this consultation were designed to inform the policy debate at a conference which was organised by the Commission on 1st - 2nd July 2010 and the preparation of the Communication on Citizenship scheduled for October 2010.

View the questionnaire

Consultation Questionnaire  

Reference documents and other related consultations

• The Stockholm programme  
• 2009 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL An area of freedom, security and justice serving the citizen  
• 2008 REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION - Fifth Report on Citizenship of the Union (1 May 2004 - 30 June 2007)  
• 2008 REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the application of Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States  
• 2007 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - Effective consular protection in third countries: the contribution of the European Union Action Plan 2007-2009  
• 2006 Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 1993 as regards certain detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals  

Contact details

Service in charge: Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security Unit D2 - Citizenship

E-mail: JLS-CITIZENSHIP-CONS@ec.europa.eu

Postal address:

European Commission
Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security
Unit D2 - Citizenship
46, rue Luxembourg,
B - 1049 Brussels
Belgium

View the contributions

In the interests of transparency, organisations have been invited to provide the public with relevant information about themselves by registering in the Interest Representative Register and subscribing to its Code of Conduct.

If the organisation is not registered, the submission is published separately from the registered organisations.

Member States

• Latvia  
• Netherlands

Organisations

• Active Citizenship Network & Active Citizenship Foundation   advice_on_individual_rights_in_europe_immigration_law_practitioners_association   Centre for European Policy Studies  
• colegio_de_registradiores_de_la_propriedad  
• Council of Bars and Law Societies  
• Euclid network  
• Europe United  
• European Alternatives  
• European Association for the Education of Adults  
• European Citizen Action Service  
• European Civic Forum  
• European Council for non-profit organisations  
• European_economic_and_social_committee  
• European Foundation Centre  
• European House Hungary
• European Land Registry Association  
• European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association  
• European Movement International  
• European Network against Racism  
• European Trade Union Confederation  
• European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association  
• Fédération des Associations Européennes et Internationales en Belgique
• Flemish_youth_council_vlaamse_jeugdraad  
• General Register Office for Scotland  
• Involve  
• Magistrats Européens pour la Démocratie et les Libertés  
• Mouvement Européen France
• Parents Forever Association  
• Parliamentary_and _health_service_ombudsman  
• Surfrider Foundation Europe
• Transparency International  
• Young_European_federalists  
• Anonymous  
• Anthony Vlacke  
• Aymeric Catteau  
• Henk Achterberg  
• Hubert Couwenbergh  
• Ioan-Luca Vlad  
• Johannes Pichler  
• Jose Manuel Garcia Rives  
• Morante Lopez
• Sylvie_Arendt