Most member states are understandably reluctant to relinquish their national sovereignty and to bring these matters within Community competence on an issue which arouses such strong feelings. The Treaty on European Union introduced a new concept, namely that of Union citizenship. One of its key features is that it complements rather than replaces the individual's existing nationality. Therefore Union citizenship could easily embrace third country nationals resident in the Union without requiring them to possess nationality of an individual member state. The 1996 Intergovernmental Conferences Third country nationals have since the inception of the European Community made a significant contribution to its prosperity.
Justice demands that they are no longer treated as second class citizens.
The 1996 Intergovernmental Conferences on the revision of the Treaty establishing the European Community provides the ideal opportunity to include an amendment which will grant Union citizenship to third-country nationals on completion of five years lawful resident in one or more Member State. For an in-depth analysis of the situation of third country nationals, see the report The rights of third country nationals in the new European order. The problems of illegality and the position of lawfully resident third country nationals .