# C_2022251EN.01009601.xml

| 30.6.2022 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 251/96 |
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30.6.2022

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 251/96

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P9_TA(2021)0507

Deliberations of the Committee on Petitions in 2020

European Parliament resolution of 16 December 2021 on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions in 2020 (2021/2019(INI))

(2022/C 251/09)

The European Parliament,

| — | having regard to its previous resolutions on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions, |
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having regard to its previous resolutions on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions,

| — | having regard to Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), |
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having regard to Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

| — | having regard to Articles 20, 24 and 227 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reflect the importance the Treaty attaches to the right of EU citizens and residents to bring their concerns to the attention of Parliament, |
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having regard to Articles 20, 24 and 227 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reflect the importance the Treaty attaches to the right of EU citizens and residents to bring their concerns to the attention of Parliament,

| — | having regard to Article 228 TFEU on the role and functions of the European Ombudsman, |
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having regard to Article 228 TFEU on the role and functions of the European Ombudsman,

| — | having regard to Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) concerning the right to petition the European Parliament, |
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having regard to Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) concerning the right to petition the European Parliament,

| — | having regard to the provisions of the TFEU relating to the infringement procedure and, in particular, to Articles 258 and 260 thereof, |
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having regard to the provisions of the TFEU relating to the infringement procedure and, in particular, to Articles 258 and 260 thereof,

| — | having regard to Rules 54 and 227(7) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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having regard to Rules 54 and 227(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

| — | having regard to the report of the Committee on Petitions (A9-0323/2021), |
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having regard to the report of the Committee on Petitions (A9-0323/2021),

| A. | whereas in 2020, Parliament received 1 573 petitions, which represents an increase of 15,9 % as compared to the 1 357 petitions submitted in 2019 and an increase of 28,9 % as compared to the 1 220 petitions submitted in 2018; |
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A.

whereas in 2020, Parliament received 1 573 petitions, which represents an increase of 15,9 % as compared to the 1 357 petitions submitted in 2019 and an increase of 28,9 % as compared to the 1 220 petitions submitted in 2018;

| B. | whereas in 2020, the number of users supporting one or more petitions on Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal was 48 882, which represents a considerable rise as compared to the 28 076 users recorded in 2019; whereas the number of clicks in support of petitions also increased in 2020, reaching a total of 55 129; |
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B.

whereas in 2020, the number of users supporting one or more petitions on Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal was 48 882, which represents a considerable rise as compared to the 28 076 users recorded in 2019; whereas the number of clicks in support of petitions also increased in 2020, reaching a total of 55 129;

| C. | whereas the large number of petitions voicing citizens’ concerns over the public health and socio-economic emergencies resulting from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to the rise in the number of petitions registered in 2020 in comparison with previous years; whereas 13,23 % of the petitions received in 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic; |
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C.

whereas the large number of petitions voicing citizens’ concerns over the public health and socio-economic emergencies resulting from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to the rise in the number of petitions registered in 2020 in comparison with previous years; whereas 13,23 % of the petitions received in 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic;

| D. | whereas the high number of petitions submitted in 2020 reveals that, in times of crisis, citizens rely on their elected representatives at EU level by directly addressing their concerns and complaints to them; |
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D.

whereas the high number of petitions submitted in 2020 reveals that, in times of crisis, citizens rely on their elected representatives at EU level by directly addressing their concerns and complaints to them;

| E. | whereas, however, the overall number of petitions remains modest in relation to the total population of the EU, revealing that efforts still need to be stepped up even more to increase citizens’ awareness about their right to petition and encourage them to exercise it; whereas, in exercising the right to petition, citizens expect the EU institutions to provide added value by finding a solution to their problems; |
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E.

whereas, however, the overall number of petitions remains modest in relation to the total population of the EU, revealing that efforts still need to be stepped up even more to increase citizens’ awareness about their right to petition and encourage them to exercise it; whereas, in exercising the right to petition, citizens expect the EU institutions to provide added value by finding a solution to their problems;

| F. | whereas the criteria for the admissibility of petitions are laid down in Article 227 TFEU and Rule 226 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, which require that petitions must be submitted by EU citizens or residents directly affected by matters falling within the EU’s fields of activity; |
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F.

whereas the criteria for the admissibility of petitions are laid down in Article 227 TFEU and Rule 226 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, which require that petitions must be submitted by EU citizens or residents directly affected by matters falling within the EU’s fields of activity;

| G. | whereas, of the 1 573 petitions submitted in 2020, 392 were declared inadmissible and 51 were withdrawn; whereas the relatively high percentage (24,92 %) of inadmissible petitions in 2020 demonstrates that there is still a widespread lack of clarity about the scope and limits of the Union’s areas of responsibility; |
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G.

whereas, of the 1 573 petitions submitted in 2020, 392 were declared inadmissible and 51 were withdrawn; whereas the relatively high percentage (24,92 %) of inadmissible petitions in 2020 demonstrates that there is still a widespread lack of clarity about the scope and limits of the Union’s areas of responsibility;

| H. | whereas the right to petition the European Parliament is one of the fundamental rights of EU citizens; whereas the right to petition provides EU citizens and residents with an open, democratic and transparent mechanism to address their elected representatives directly and is therefore essential to enable citizens’ active participation in the Union’s fields of activity; |
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H.

whereas the right to petition the European Parliament is one of the fundamental rights of EU citizens; whereas the right to petition provides EU citizens and residents with an open, democratic and transparent mechanism to address their elected representatives directly and is therefore essential to enable citizens’ active participation in the Union’s fields of activity;

| I. | whereas the right to petition offers Parliament the opportunity to enhance its responsiveness to complaints and concerns relating to respect for EU fundamental rights and compliance with EU legislation in the Member States; whereas petitions are therefore a useful source of information on instances of misapplication or breaches of EU law, and thus enable Parliament and other EU institutions to assess the transposition and application of EU law and its possible impact on the rights of EU citizens and residents; |
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I.

whereas the right to petition offers Parliament the opportunity to enhance its responsiveness to complaints and concerns relating to respect for EU fundamental rights and compliance with EU legislation in the Member States; whereas petitions are therefore a useful source of information on instances of misapplication or breaches of EU law, and thus enable Parliament and other EU institutions to assess the transposition and application of EU law and its possible impact on the rights of EU citizens and residents;

| J. | whereas Parliament has long been at the forefront of the development of the petition process internationally and has the most open and transparent petition process in Europe, allowing petitioners to participate in its activities; |
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J.

whereas Parliament has long been at the forefront of the development of the petition process internationally and has the most open and transparent petition process in Europe, allowing petitioners to participate in its activities;

| K. | whereas the Committee on Petitions carefully examines and deals with each petition submitted to Parliament; whereas each petitioner has the right to receive a reply informing them about the decision on admissibility and follow-up actions taken by the committee within a reasonable period of time, in their own language or in the language used in the petition; whereas any petitioner may request that their petition be reopened on the basis of any relevant developments; |
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K.

whereas the Committee on Petitions carefully examines and deals with each petition submitted to Parliament; whereas each petitioner has the right to receive a reply informing them about the decision on admissibility and follow-up actions taken by the committee within a reasonable period of time, in their own language or in the language used in the petition; whereas any petitioner may request that their petition be reopened on the basis of any relevant developments;

| L. | whereas the activities of the Committee on Petitions are based on the input provided by petitioners; whereas the information submitted by petitioners in their petitions and at committee meetings, along with the Commission’s assessment and the replies of the Member States and other bodies, are crucial for the work of the committee; whereas admissible petitions also provide valuable contributions to the work of the other parliamentary committees, given that they are forwarded by the Committee on Petitions to other committees for an opinion or for information; |
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L.

whereas the activities of the Committee on Petitions are based on the input provided by petitioners; whereas the information submitted by petitioners in their petitions and at committee meetings, along with the Commission’s assessment and the replies of the Member States and other bodies, are crucial for the work of the committee; whereas admissible petitions also provide valuable contributions to the work of the other parliamentary committees, given that they are forwarded by the Committee on Petitions to other committees for an opinion or for information;

| M. | whereas the Committee on Petitions attaches paramount importance to the examination and public discussion of petitions at its meetings; whereas petitioners have the right to present their petitions and frequently take the floor in the discussion, thereby actively contributing to the work of the committee; whereas in 2020, the Committee on Petitions held 13 committee meetings, at which 116 petitions were discussed with 110 petitioners present, with 78 petitioners actively participating by taking the floor; whereas the lower number of petitions discussed at meetings in 2020 as compared to 2019 is explained by the reduced timeslots for committee meetings, especially from April to July, owing to the limited interpretation facilities as a consequence of Parliament’s precautionary measures in the context of the pandemic; |
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M.

whereas the Committee on Petitions attaches paramount importance to the examination and public discussion of petitions at its meetings; whereas petitioners have the right to present their petitions and frequently take the floor in the discussion, thereby actively contributing to the work of the committee; whereas in 2020, the Committee on Petitions held 13 committee meetings, at which 116 petitions were discussed with 110 petitioners present, with 78 petitioners actively participating by taking the floor; whereas the lower number of petitions discussed at meetings in 2020 as compared to 2019 is explained by the reduced timeslots for committee meetings, especially from April to July, owing to the limited interpretation facilities as a consequence of Parliament’s precautionary measures in the context of the pandemic;

| N. | whereas the main subjects of concern raised in petitions submitted in 2020 relate to fundamental rights (in particular the impact of COVID-19 emergency measures on the rule of law and democracy, as well on the freedom of movement, the right to work, the right to information and the right to education, as well as a large number of petitions related to LGBTQ+ rights in the Union), health (notably questions on the public health crisis resulting from the pandemic, ranging from the protection of citizens’ health, including treatments and protective equipment, to the management of the health crisis in the Member States and the acquisition and distribution of vaccines), the environment (mostly mining activities and their impact on the environment, nuclear safety, air pollution and the deterioration of natural ecosystems), justice (notably issues related to access to justice or alleged procedural irregularities or concerns over the rule of law, along with cross-border cases of child abduction and custody rights), employment (in particular job market accessibility and precarious employment), education (in particular questions related to discriminatory access to education), and the internal market (in particular questions relating to national travel restrictions in the context of the pandemic and their impact on the freedom of movement of persons within and outside the EU), and the implementation of the agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, in addition to many other areas of activity; |
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N.

whereas the main subjects of concern raised in petitions submitted in 2020 relate to fundamental rights (in particular the impact of COVID-19 emergency measures on the rule of law and democracy, as well on the freedom of movement, the right to work, the right to information and the right to education, as well as a large number of petitions related to LGBTQ+ rights in the Union), health (notably questions on the public health crisis resulting from the pandemic, ranging from the protection of citizens’ health, including treatments and protective equipment, to the management of the health crisis in the Member States and the acquisition and distribution of vaccines), the environment (mostly mining activities and their impact on the environment, nuclear safety, air pollution and the deterioration of natural ecosystems), justice (notably issues related to access to justice or alleged procedural irregularities or concerns over the rule of law, along with cross-border cases of child abduction and custody rights), employment (in particular job market accessibility and precarious employment), education (in particular questions related to discriminatory access to education), and the internal market (in particular questions relating to national travel restrictions in the context of the pandemic and their impact on the freedom of movement of persons within and outside the EU), and the implementation of the agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, in addition to many other areas of activity;

| O. | whereas 79,7 % (1 254) of the petitions received in 2020 were submitted via Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal, as compared to 73,9 % (1 003 petitions) in 2019, thus confirming that Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal has become by far the most used channel for submitting citizens’ petitions to Parliament; |
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O.

whereas 79,7 % (1 254) of the petitions received in 2020 were submitted via Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal, as compared to 73,9 % (1 003 petitions) in 2019, thus confirming that Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal has become by far the most used channel for submitting citizens’ petitions to Parliament;

| P. | whereas in 2020, the Petitions Web Portal was further developed into a more user-friendly, secure and accessible portal for citizens; whereas the frequently asked questions (FAQs) have been updated and a number of improvements on data protection have been made in order to implement the recommendations by the European Data Protection Supervisor and a new password recovery mechanism has been introduced; whereas the interconnection between the Petitions Web Portal, ePeti and PETIGREF has been further developed and work has been carried out to ensure the integration of external developments and Hermes; whereas a large number of individual support requests have been handled successfully; |
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P.

whereas in 2020, the Petitions Web Portal was further developed into a more user-friendly, secure and accessible portal for citizens; whereas the frequently asked questions (FAQs) have been updated and a number of improvements on data protection have been made in order to implement the recommendations by the European Data Protection Supervisor and a new password recovery mechanism has been introduced; whereas the interconnection between the Petitions Web Portal, ePeti and PETIGREF has been further developed and work has been carried out to ensure the integration of external developments and Hermes; whereas a large number of individual support requests have been handled successfully;

| Q. | whereas, in 2020, many petitions concerning COVID-19 were placed on the agenda by means of the urgency procedure; |
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Q.

whereas, in 2020, many petitions concerning COVID-19 were placed on the agenda by means of the urgency procedure;

| R. | whereas in 2020, the Committee on Petitions held just one fact-finding visit; whereas no other fact-finding visit could take place due to the situation caused by the pandemic and the decision taken by Parliament’s President to cancel parliamentary events, including delegations, as one of the necessary precautionary measures adopted to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and minimise health risks for Parliament’s Members and staff; |
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R.

whereas in 2020, the Committee on Petitions held just one fact-finding visit; whereas no other fact-finding visit could take place due to the situation caused by the pandemic and the decision taken by Parliament’s President to cancel parliamentary events, including delegations, as one of the necessary precautionary measures adopted to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and minimise health risks for Parliament’s Members and staff;

| S. | whereas the Committee on Petitions as an associated committee, together with the committees responsible for the subject-matter (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)) organised a public hearing on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Minority Safepack — one million signatures for diversity in Europe’ on 15 October 2020; whereas owing to the pandemic, the hearing was held in hybrid format and the ECI’s organisers could take part at the meeting remotely, while the public could follow the meeting via webstreaming; |
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S.

whereas the Committee on Petitions as an associated committee, together with the committees responsible for the subject-matter (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)) organised a public hearing on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Minority Safepack — one million signatures for diversity in Europe’ on 15 October 2020; whereas owing to the pandemic, the hearing was held in hybrid format and the ECI’s organisers could take part at the meeting remotely, while the public could follow the meeting via webstreaming;

| T. | whereas the Commission, as the guardian of the Treaties, has an essential role in the work of the Committee on Petitions and the information provided by the petitioners is useful to discover possible breaches or misapplications of the European law; |
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T.

whereas the Commission, as the guardian of the Treaties, has an essential role in the work of the Committee on Petitions and the information provided by the petitioners is useful to discover possible breaches or misapplications of the European law;

| U. | whereas the Commission’s strategy in dealing with petitions is based on its 2016 Communication entitled ‘EU law: Better results through better application’ (C(2016)8600); |
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U.

whereas the Commission’s strategy in dealing with petitions is based on its 2016 Communication entitled ‘EU law: Better results through better application’ (C(2016)8600);

| V. | whereas the Commission’s annual reports on monitoring the application of EU law refer to petitions in a very general way, revealing the lack of a proper system to collect information on petitions and how they link with infringement procedures or EU acts; |
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V.

whereas the Commission’s annual reports on monitoring the application of EU law refer to petitions in a very general way, revealing the lack of a proper system to collect information on petitions and how they link with infringement procedures or EU acts;

| W. | whereas under the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Petitions is responsible for relations with the European Ombudsman, who investigates complaints about maladministration within the institutions and bodies of the EU; whereas the current European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, presented her Annual Report for 2019 to the Committee on Petitions at its meeting of 3 September 2020; |
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W.

whereas under the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Petitions is responsible for relations with the European Ombudsman, who investigates complaints about maladministration within the institutions and bodies of the EU; whereas the current European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, presented her Annual Report for 2019 to the Committee on Petitions at its meeting of 3 September 2020;

| X. | whereas the Committee on Petitions is a member of the European Network of Ombudsmen, which also includes the European Ombudsman, national and regional ombudsmen and similar bodies in the Member States, the candidate countries and other European Economic Area countries, and which aims to promote the exchange of information about EU law and policy, and to share best practices; |
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X.

whereas the Committee on Petitions is a member of the European Network of Ombudsmen, which also includes the European Ombudsman, national and regional ombudsmen and similar bodies in the Member States, the candidate countries and other European Economic Area countries, and which aims to promote the exchange of information about EU law and policy, and to share best practices;

| 1. | Emphasises the fundamental role of the Committee on Petitions in protecting and promoting the rights of EU citizens and residents by ensuring that petitioners’ concerns and complaints are examined in a timely and effective manner and that they are resolved, wherever possible, through an open, democratic, rapid and transparent petitions process; stresses the pivotal importance of petitions in promoting the principles of direct democracy and improving the active participation of EU citizens; |
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1.

| 2. | Stresses that the participation of citizens in the decision-making process of the Union is essential to the achievement of a more democratic, open and transparent Union; underlines that the Committee on Petitions plays a fundamental role in involving European citizens in the activities of the Union and represents a discussion forum in which citizens can make their voice heard in the EU institutions; calls on the EU institutions to improve their response to citizens’ problems in policy-making by taking into account the opinions and complaints expressed in petitions; |
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2.

| 3. | Reiterates the importance of a continuous public debate on the Union’s fields of activity in order to ensure that citizens are correctly informed about the scope of the Union’s competences and the different levels of decision-making; calls, in this regard, for effective awareness raising campaigns; stresses that the active involvement of the press and communications services at both European and national level and more active social media would enhance the visibility and the responsiveness of the work of the Committee on Petitions to public concerns; |
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3.

| 4. | Believes that this effort would also help avoid disinformation about the work of the Committee on Petitions in line with the fight against disinformation promoted by the Commission and would help increase citizens’ knowledge about their right to petition, as well as about the scope and limits of the Union’s responsibilities and of the competences of the Committee on Petitions, with a view to reducing the number of inadmissible petitions; believes that it is also important to highlight successful cases in which an issue raised by a petitioner has been solved with the support of the Committee on Petitions; stresses, in this regard, the importance of the multilingual communication policy of the EU in order to better connect with citizens from all Member States; |
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4.

| 5. | Emphasises that the Conference on the Future of Europe should be used as an opportunity to explain to EU citizens the role of the Committee on Petitions, in order to raise awareness of the right to petition and to encourage them to actively participate and voice their concerns and ideas to their elected representatives; |
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5.

| 6. | Points out that petitions constitute the door to the European institutions for citizens and a unique opportunity for Parliament and the other EU institutions to directly connect with EU citizens and residents, understand their problems and maintain a regular dialogue with them, particularly in cases where they are affected by the incorrect application of EU law; stresses the need for enhanced cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and lead committees, the Union institutions, bodies and agencies and national, regional and local authorities on inquiries and proposals regarding the implementation of and compliance with EU law, including necessary answers to the Committee; believes that such cooperation is crucial to address and resolve citizens’ concerns over the application of EU law and that it contributes to strengthening the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the Union; calls, therefore, for more active participation of Member States’ representatives in committee meetings and for swifter responses to the requests for clarification or information sent by the Committee on Petitions to the national authorities; calls on the Commission to take steps to ensure that the interpretation of the scope of Article 51 of the Charter is as coherent and wide as possible; |
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6.

| 7. | Calls on the Commission to play a more active role in the Committee on Petitions to ensure the citizens receive a detailed and understandable response; |
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7.

| 8. | Underlines the need to respect the approach and point of view expressed by the Commission in its replies to the Committee on Petitions and to respect its role as guardian of the Treaties; |
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8.

| 9. | Recalls that petitions contribute considerably to the Commission’s role as guardian of the Treaties; stresses that reinforced cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and the Commission is essential to ensure the successful treatment of petitions; urges the Commission to refrain from general replies and to provide timely, precise, clear and targeted responses to efficiently answer the concrete requests of petitioners; calls on the Commission to ensure transparency and access to documents and information in the framework of the EU Pilot procedures in relation to petitions received, and of the EU Pilot and infringement procedures that have already been concluded, and to take into account any issues related to the breach of EU law that are raised through petitions as a matter of priority when considering whether to initiate an infringement procedure, especially when the issues are related to environmental legislation; |
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9.

| 10. | Asks the Commission to provide a clarification regarding its competence in relation to petitions, including those raising issues that fall under a field of activity of the EU but not under a policy where the EU has legislative competence; |
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10.

| 11. | Calls on national authorities to be proactive in taking the necessary measures to respond to citizens’ concerns as expressed in their petitions where cases of systemic failure in compliance with EU law occur; calls on the Commission to regularly follow up on progress in complying with EU legislation in the cases examined; |
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11.

| 12. | Highlights that the Committee on Petitions must respect the admissibility criteria established in Articles 226 and 227 TFEU and in the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament; |
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12.

| 13. | Recalls that cooperation with other committees in Parliament is essential for the accurate and comprehensive treatment of petitions; notes that in 2020, 56 petitions were sent to other committees for opinion and 385 for information; welcomes the fact that 40 opinions and 60 acknowledgements of taking petitions into consideration in their work were received from other committees; notes that the public hearings organised jointly with other parliamentary committees facilitate a thorough examination of petitions; recalls that petitioners are informed of the decisions to request opinions from other committees for the treatment of their petitions; calls on parliamentary committees to step up their efforts to actively contribute to the examination of petitions — by proving their expertise — and thus enable Parliament to respond more swiftly and comprehensively to citizens’ concerns; regrets that the petitions network could not meet in 2020 due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; |
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13.

| 14. | Believes that the petitions network is a useful tool for raising awareness of the issues brought up in petitions and to facilitate the treatment of petitions in other committees to which they are sent for opinion and for information; notes that there is a need to facilitate the following-up of petitions in parliamentary and legislative work; is of the opinion that this network should enhance dialogue and cooperation with the Commission and other EU institutions; trusts that regular meetings of the petitions network are crucial in order to strengthen cooperation between parliamentary committees through the exchange of information and sharing of best practices among the network’s members; calls on Parliament to draft a mechanism that enables the Committee on Petition to be directly involved in the legislative process; |
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14.

| 15. | Draws attention to its resolution of 17 December 2020 on the outcome of the Committee on Petitions’ deliberations during 2019 (1); |
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15.

| 16. | Underlines that despite the reduced timeslots for committee meetings in 2020 owing to Parliament’s precautionary measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 within its premises and the consequent reduced interpretation facilities, the Committee on Petitions has expressed its opinion on important issues raised in petitions by contributing to a significant number of parliamentary reports, notably on the conclusion of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (2), on Monitoring the Application of EU Law 2017 and 2018 (3), on the Recommendations on the negotiations for a new partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (4), on the Situation of Fundamental Rights in the European Union — Annual Report for the years 2018-2019 (5), on Reducing inequalities with a special focus on in-work poverty (6), on Turkey — Annual progress report 2019 (7), and on the implementation of Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation in light of the UNCRPD (8); appreciates the activity of the Secretariat of the Committee on Petitions in general and, in particular, during the pandemic, as the working conditions became more complex; stresses the need to reflect on the challenges faced during the pandemic and look at ways to improve the committee’s work, especially during times of crisis; |
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16.

| 17. | Points out that in its recommendations for the negotiations on a new deal with the United Kingdom, the members of the Committee on Petitions stressed that any EU citizen residing in the United Kingdom had the right to petition the European Parliament pursuant to Article 227 TFEU, to participate in a European Citizens’ Initiative, and to apply to the European Ombudsman after the expected end of the transition period (31 December 2020), and called on the European Ombudsman to keep up her efforts, initiated during negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, to ensure the transparency of negotiations under the future EU-UK partnership; |
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17.

| 18. | Draws attention to the large number of petitions on COVID-19 that the Committee on Petitions examined and replied to in 2020, mostly by using its urgency procedure; stresses that most of these petitions called for the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms against the emergency measures including lockdowns as well as for transparency in the development, purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; underlines that these petitions also included questions on treatments and protective equipment, as well as the assessment of the management of the health crisis in the Member States; recalls, also, that many petitioners raised concerns over the impact of national emergency measures, including lockdowns, on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, calling into question travel and work restrictions, as well as the initial lack of coordination among Member States on internal border controls which posed obstacles to the freedom of movement within the Schengen area and a particular problem for many cross-border workers, students and binational couples, as well as the management of cancelled flights and trips during the pandemic and the refund policies of the airlines involved; recalls that all restrictive measures must be necessary, proportional and temporary; stresses that ensuring the effective, equal and uniform application of EU law is crucial for upholding the rule of law, which is one of the founding values of the Union and its Member States, pursuant to Article 2 TEU, even in a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic; takes the view that, particularly in times of major crisis, the rapid and effective handling of petitions is a prerequisite for earning citizens’ trust in the EU institutions; |
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18.

| 19. | Highlights the decision taken during the first months of the pandemic to prioritise petitions related to COVID-19 in the Committee on Petitions in order to address properly the urgent demands expressed by citizens during the first months of 2020; |
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19.

| 20. | Is seriously concerned about the public health and socio-economic damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; welcomes the excellent work done by the Committee on Petitions which, by voicing citizens’ concerns over the public health and socio-economic crises related to the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to ensuring Parliament’s responsiveness to the needs and expectations of citizens, especially those particularly affected by the health crisis, as regards the Union’s capacity to address such a global challenge; draws attention, in this regard, to the important follow-up actions taken by the Committee on Petitions to respond to the issues raised in COVID-19-related petitions, which led to the adoption in plenary of the resolutions on the Schengen system and measures taken during the COVID-19 crisis (9), on the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in the COVID-19 crisis (10) and on tackling homelessness rates in the EU (11); |
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20.

| 21. | Stresses the important contribution made by the Committee on Petitions to the protection of children’s rights, as revealed by its treatment of a number of petitions on parental child abduction in Japan; points, in this regard, to the resolution on the international and domestic parental abduction of EU children in Japan, the motion for which was adopted by the Committee on Petitions on 16 June 2020, adopted in plenary on 8 July 2020 (12); |
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21.

| 22. | Draws attention to the hearing of 29 October 2020 on ‘Union citizenship: Empowerment, Inclusion, Participation’, which the Committee on Petitions held jointly with the Committee on Legal Affairs, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; considers that this event represented a significant contribution by Parliament to the Commission’s 2020 EU Citizenship report and to the Committee on Petitions’ ongoing work on citizen involvement; |
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22.

| 23. | Takes note that, along with fundamental rights, health was the main area of concern for petitioners in 2020, while recognising that health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic were at the centre of the Committee on Petitions’ work; draws attention to the resolution on additional funding for biomedical research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, the motion for which was adopted by the committee on 30 April 2020, adopted in plenary on 18 June 2020 (13); recalls that Parliament’s resolution has been warmly welcomed by the scientific and patients’ communities as it calls for awareness of this type of disease to be raised among Member States through the organisation of training courses tailored to public authorities, healthcare providers and public officials generally; reiterates, in this regard, its call for coordinated and enhanced research efforts and for additional funding, including under the Horizon Europe programme, to support progress in research in order to address the human and socio-economic consequences of the growing number of individuals living and working with long-term disabling and chronic conditions; |
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23.

| 24. | Notes that environmental issues remained an area of serious concern for petitioners in 2020; regrets that environmental rules are not always correctly implemented in the Member States, as described in numerous petitions raising complaints about air pollution, the deterioration of natural ecosystems, nuclear safety and the impact of mining activities on the environment; stresses the importance of delivering on EU citizens’ expectations on the protection of the environment; urges, therefore, the Commission, together with the Member States, to ensure the correct implementation of EU legislation in this field; |
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24.

| 25. | Welcomes the specific protection role played by the Committee on Petitions within the EU in the framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; points to the committee’s important ongoing work in connection with petitions concerning issues on disabilities; notes that the number of petitions on disability almost doubled in 2020 in comparison with the previous year; stresses that discrimination and access to education and employment remain among the main challenges faced by persons with disabilities and believes that the Commission and Member States need to do more to make essential services fully accessible; calls for the implementation of concrete proposals to foster inclusiveness and facilitate the recognition and portability of skills within the EU; |
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25.

| 26. | Recalls that in 2020, the Committee on Petitions paid specific attention to the discussion of petitions on the difficulties faced by people with intellectual disabilities and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially regarding access to health services, personal assistance and contact with families and carers; draws attention in this regard to the resolution tabled by the Committee on Petitions on the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in the COVID-19 crisis, adopted in plenary on 8 July 2020; welcomes the outcome of the Committee on Petitions’ annual workshop on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities — the new disability strategy — which took place at the committee meeting of 28 October 2020; |
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26.

| 27. | Recalls that relations with the European Ombudsman are one of the responsibilities conferred by Parliament’s Rules of Procedure on the Committee on Petitions; welcomes Parliament’s constructive cooperation with the European Ombudsman, as well as its involvement in the European Network of Ombudsmen; acknowledges the European Ombudsman’s regular contributions to the work of the Committee on Petitions throughout the year; firmly believes that the Union’s institutions, bodies and agencies must ensure consistent and effective follow-up to the recommendations of the Ombudsman; |
| --- | --- |

27.

| 28. | Considers it essential that citizens are able to be involved directly in the initiation of legislative proposals; stresses that the ECI, is an important instrument of active citizenship as well as a unique tool of European participative democracy for the Committee on Petitions and therefore must be approached openly and responsively; underlines that the public hearing is a key opportunity for the organisers to publicly present their initiative to the EU institutions and experts enabling the Commission and the Parliament to obtain a thorough understanding of the desired ECI outcomes; calls on the Commission to consider initiating a legislative proposal on the basis of the content of any successful ECI; |
| --- | --- |

28.

| 29. | Stresses that transparency and public access to the documents of the EU institutions are vital in order to ensure the highest levels of protection of the democratic rights of citizens and their trust in EU institutions; points out that the current Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents no longer reflects the actual situation; deeply regrets that the revision of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 has been stalled for years with no progress; calls on the Commission to submit a proposal for a recast of the 2001 regulation with a view to enhancing transparency and accountability by promoting good administrative practice, in line with requirements of the Lisbon Treaty; |
| --- | --- |

29.

| 30. | Underlines that the Petitions Web Portal is an essential tool for ensuring a smooth, efficient and transparent petitions process; welcomes, in this regard, the improvements on data protection and on the security features which have made the portal more user-friendly and secure for citizens; stresses that efforts must be continued to make the portal widely known, through social media, easier to navigate and fully accessible to all citizens, especially to persons with disabilities, including by enabling the tabling of petitions in national sign languages; calls for more information to be published on the Petitions Web Portal, including the progress of petitions and inquiries with other institutions; calls for an assessment of how to prevent the use of stolen or fake identities and stresses the urgency of changing or updating the computerised registration and signature system so that it is truly agile and allows citizen participation in accordance with their needs, in real time; supports the creation of a single digital portal where citizens can access and find out about all the petitions procedures; |
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30.

| 31. | Notes that although the number of people supporting one or more petitions is very much on the rise, many petitioners are still saying that the steps to follow to show support for a petition on Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal are complicated; takes the view that simplifying the process would allow citizens to better exercise their right to petition; |
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31.

| 32. | Instructs its President to forward this resolution and the report of the Committee on Petitions to the Council, the Commission, the European Ombudsman, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Member States’ committees on petitions, and their national ombudsmen or similar competent bodies. |
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32.

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(1)  OJ C 445, 29.10.2021, p. 168.

(2)  Opinion adopted on 21 January 2020.

(3)  Opinion adopted on 19 February 2020.

(4)  Opinion adopted on 30 April 2020.

(5)  Opinion adopted on 7 September 2020.

(6)  Opinion adopted on 7 September 2020.

(7)  Opinion adopted on 29 October 2020.

(8)  Opinion adopted on 3 December 2020.

(9)  OJ C 425, 20.10.2021, p. 7.

(10)  OJ C 371, 15.9.2021, p. 6.

(11)  OJ C 425, 20.10.2021, p. 2.

(12)  OJ C 371, 15.9.2021, p. 2.

(13)  OJ C 362, 8.9.2021, p. 2.

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