Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I should like to begin by congratulating the rapporteur on his work. This is a clear and balanced report, which explains the existing shortcomings, recognises the progress that has been made and indicates the direction that must be taken to remedy these shortcomings, in the aim of constructing a real and effective European citizenship. The concept of European citizenship has been one of the main legacies of the Maastricht Treaty and has contributed to increasingly engage the citizens of the Member States with the common project of European integration. Now that more than a decade has passed, the balance sheet is clearly positive. Freedom of movement, the right to vote and to stand in local and European elections, the right of petition and the right to diplomatic and consular protection are today already irreversible steps forward with practical effects from which Europe’s citizens derive real benefit. Nevertheless, the development of a genuine European citizenship requires more, both with regard to those rights already enshrined in the Treaties, but whose full implementation today still faces too many obstacles, and with regard to the integration of the future institutional model of the Union, which is undoubtedly the great challenge currently facing our community of peoples and countries. Furthermore, full European citizenship cannot ignore the social and economic rights of our fellow citizens, at the risk of the citizens seeing the European project as a step backwards from the social contract expressed through national constitutions. In relation to the freedom of movement and residence of Community citizens, I should like, Mr President, to congratulate the Commission on the reform that has been introduced in this field, formalised in the Directive of 23 May 2001. In the aim of guaranteeing the citizens of the European Union conditions of movement and residence similar to those of Member State citizens in their own country, this Commission initiative has made the conditions of movement and residence more flexible, has simplified the legislation in force in this field and has established an innovative rule according to which after four years, residence in European Union territory can be extended with no formalities required. The European Union cannot distance itself from the situation of those who, although not Member State nationals, have their lives established on European territory, thereby making a major contribution to the cultural, social and economic wealth of the Union. It is, therefore, with considerable satisfaction that we welcome the Commission proposal for a directive of 5 July 2001, on the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents. We urge the Council rapidly to adopt this proposal and thereby end the existing discrimination and to ensure that these persons can, in the field of employment, education and social security, enjoy rights close to those held by citizens of the Union. In the field of the right to vote and to stand for election, the report rigorously describes the present framework, which is characterised fundamentally by the poor participation of Community citizens in European and local elections in their States of residence. The lack of information and the short periods laid down by States Members in which citizens can be placed on electoral registers undoubtedly contribute to explaining this relative lack of success. Nevertheless, this phenomenon should be seen in the context of the more global trend of a steady decline in voter participation which, as far as we are concerned, could be effectively countered by clarifying the European Union’s institutional framework and by drafting a genuine constitutional text which enables the citizens to identify as closely as possible with the decision-making process at European level.

Political group: PSE