NoC313/34 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30.11.92
OpinionontheCitizens'Europe
(92/C313/14)
On25April1991,actingunderArticle24oftheRulesofProcedure,theEconomicandSocial
CommitteedecidedtodrawupanInformationReportonTheCitizens'EuropeandaSub­
CommitteewassetupinaccordancewithArticle17oftheRulesofProcedure.
TheSub-Committee adoptedtheInformationReportunanimouslyon18March1992.
On27May1992theEconomicandSocialCommittee,actingunderthefourthparagraphof
Article20ofitsRulesofProcedure,decidedtodrawupanOpinionontheCitizens'Europe.
TheSub-Committee ,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCommittee'sworkonthe
subject,adopteditsOpinionon16July1992.TheRapporteurwasMrsRangoniMachiavelli .
TheCo-Rapporteur wasMrJenkins.
Atits299thPlenarySession(meetingof23September1992)theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyamajorityvotewithfiveabstentions .
1.Generalcomments ofsuchcommonestablishedrightsandaccompanying
dutiesandobligationswillrequiremoretimeandatten­
tion.
1.1.Europeancitizenshipmustrepresentmorethan
justthesumoftwelvenationalcitizenships .1.1.3.Atthesametime,a'Citizens'Europe'com­
priseseveryday'freedoms',rightsandduties,butalso
goesbeyondthem;itisaboutconstructingafirmand
durable,transnationalmodelofcitizenship .Itisabout
fillingthe'democraticdeficit'atEuropeanlevel,
developingacivicandsocial'Union',enablingEurope's
citizensbettertocontroltheirowndestinies,andabout
reinforcingtheEuropeanParliamentandotherdemo­
craticinstitutionswhoseroleistorepresentEuropean
citizensanddefendtheirrights,dutiesandinterests.1.1.1.AstheEuropeanCommunitymovestowards
closerUnion,itspoliciesandactionsmustberootedina
Union-wideformofdemocraticlegitimacyandpopular
consent.ThisiswhytheEuropeanParliamenthas
repeatedlystressedthatEuropeanUnionandCom­
munityCitizenshipareinter-linked :theymustgohand
inhand.TheEconomicandSocialCommitteehas
frequentlylikewiseargued,notablyinthecontextof
the'1992'process,thattheaimoftheEuropeanCom­
munityisnotexclusivelytoachieveaninternalmarket.
Itistoachieveabetterqualityoflifeandcloser
relations.A'Citizens'Europe'istherealgoal,inwhich
thequalityofeverydaylifeisimprovedandbetter
guaranteedbyconstitutional arrangements witha
'Europeandimension'.1.2.UndertheMaastrichtTreaty,Europeancitizen­
shipisofficiallyestablishedintermsofboththerights
anddutiesimposedthereby.ButnotionsofwhatEuro­
peancitizenshipreallymeansremainhazyoratbest
onlypartiallyexpressed.
1.2.1.ACitizens'Europeisnotan'identikit',all­
inclusive,all-embracing 'meltingpot'.1.1.2.InthisconnectionofaEuropeanUniontaking
shapeas'anareawithoutinternalfrontiersinwhichthe
freemovementofgoods,persons,servicesandcapitalis
ensured'(Article8a),the'Citizens'Europe'whichmost
easilyspringstomindisoneinwhichindividualcitizens
maymoveto,resideinandworkorbecomeestablished
inanyMemberState,onthebasisofequalopportuniti­
es,mutualrecognitionofqualificationsanddiplomas
andequaltreatmentasregardssocialprotection,wel­
fareandeducation.Muchofthisisnowregardedas
'acquiscommunautaire ',evenifinpracticetheexercise1.2.2.ThekeytoaCitizens'Europeisitsunity
anddiversityofculture,itspluralismofthoughtand
tradition,itsChristianheritageandappreciationof
otherfaithsaswellasofhumanisticandsecularvalues
andprinciples,anditsfundamentalattachmenttolib­
erty,peace,socialjustice,tolerance,humanrightsand
theRuleofLaw.The'soul'ofEuropeisinfactimbued

NoC313/35 30.11.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities
withhumanisticprinciples(notablytherighttohuman
dignity),suchprinciplesconstitutingthebedrockand
drivingforceofdemocracy.TheCitizens'Europe'idea'
isfirmlyrootedinthesecommondemocraticvalues
andrespectforhumandignity.Thesecommonvalues
inspiredthecontemporaryEuropeanideaandthecon­
ceptoftrans-national democracywhich,unlikethe
confinesofnarrownationalism,cangivefullexpression
todiversity,choiceandquality,andcanbetterassure
atrueandpeacefulunderstanding betweenpeoples.
1.2.3.Thesecommondemocraticvalues,andtheir
local,regional,nationalandsupranationalexpression,
arethe'just'foundationsofaCitizens'Europe.Econ­
omicandsocialrightsareindissolublylinkedtocivil
andpoliticalrights:togetherthesecitizens'rightsand
accompanying dutiesconstitutethecornerstoneofa
free,democraticsocietyfoundedonrespectforhuman
rights.why'ECsocialpolicyhasacrucialroletoplay(and)
mustbeallowedtodosoonafirmerandclearerfooting
thanhitherto'(2).TheCommitteeinthiscontextcalled
uponthe1991intergovernmental conferencetotake
accountoftheneedfor'balanceandparity'between
thesocialandeconomicaspectsoftheTreatyand
revisionstoit,andtoallowamorecompleteuseof
Articles100aand118ainordertotacklecross-border
labourmarketproblemsandpromotebasicsocialrights
throughouttheEC(3).TheslowprogressatCouncil
inapplyingtheECSocialCharterandSocialAction
Programmehasshownthatthereisstillinsufficient
agreementorpoliticalwilltoachievethisvitaland
integralgoalofaCitizens'Europe.TheMaastricht
ProtocolonSocialPolicymayhelp'unblock'thedead­
lock,insomuchastheheadsofgovernmentofthe
signatoriestoitandtotheSocialChartermayhave
recoursetotheEC'institutions,proceduresandmech­
anisms'inordertoapplymanyofthekeypoliciesof
theCharteronthebasisofqualifiedmajorityvoting.
Itisindeedamatterforregretthatmoreprogresshas
notbeenmadetodateinapplyingtheSocialCharter
andSocialActionProgramme,andthatnotall'Euro­
citizens'fromthetwelveMemberStateswillbeable
tobenefitfromnewprovisionsstemmingfromthe
Maastricht'AgreementonSocialPolicyconcluded
betweentheMemberStatesoftheEuropeanCom­
munitywiththeexceptionoftheUnitedKingdom'.
This'Agreement'couldalsobringaboutincreasedflexi­
bility—whichwouldbewelcomed—inallowing
forappropriateEuropeansocialpolicymeasurestobe
drawnupandimplementedthroughagreementbetween
representative organizations ,andnotexclusively
throughlegislativeactioninitiatedbytheCommission .1.2.4.Adynamic,efficientanddemocratically­
accountableEuropeanUnionlogicallyinvokesthe
notionofCommunityCitizenship,basedonthesevalu­
esexpressedandupheldthroughabasicCommunity
legalframeworkwhichshouldfullyrecognizeandpro­
tecthumanrightsandbasicsocialrightstogetherwith
fundamental freedoms.
1.2.6.1.ItshouldalsobenotedthattheCommittee
andEuropeanParliamentalikehaveconsistentlyargued
infavourofasubstantialwideningoftheSocialChar­
ter,inordertocoverboth'workers'andothersocial
groupsandindividualcitizensthroughgenerallyappli­
cable,basicsocietalrights.1.2.5.TheCitizens'Europe'ethos'isalsocentralto
thewideninganddeepeningoftheEC.Deepeningisa
logicalpre-conditionforwidening.Atthesametime,
asa'EuropeanUnion'ofdemocracies,theCitizens'
Europeisseenasasourceofprotectionbytheemerging
democraciestotheeast,andasadynamic'area'inthe
developmentofclosertieswithEFTAcountries.This
'attractiveness,'andtheinevitableperspectiveofa'wid­
erEurope',shouldbethesourceofenrichmentand
motivationfora'deeper'formofUnion,assought
bymostprospectiveMembers,inordertoensurethe
efficiency,durabilityanddemocraticcontrolofthe
wholeprocesswhichtheywanttojoin.The'deeper'
Citizens'Europemustthereforetakeshape,inparallel
tothewideningoftheCommunityhorizon.Thisfurther
stageofdevelopment ,buildingonthecommondemo­
craticandcivicvaluesoutlinedearlier,needstobe
consideredaccordingtotheprinciplesofconsensusand
socialjusticebywhichtheCitizens'Europeshouldset
itsstandardsandforwhichitshouldstrive.1.2.7.ACitizens'Europe,builtonstrongdemocratic
andcivicfoundationsand'inpursuitofsocialjustice
(in)anareaoflibertyallowingforprivateinitiativeand
thedevelopmentofcollectiveundertakings'^),should
alsohelpachievehigherstandardsineducationand
1.2.6.Thisiswhy'socialpolicygoalsandpriorities
....formanintegralpartofaPeople'sEurope'(*)and
(2)OJNoC225,10.9.1990,point5.3.
0)OJNoC208,8.8.1988,point3.4.(3)Ibid.
(4)OJNoC6,7.1.1989,point1.3.

NoC313/36 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30.11.92
training,incommerceanddesign,ineconomicactivity
andsocialwellbeing.thoughtmustbegivenonhowtoassureallyoung
peopleastakeinaCitizens'Europe,intheEuropeof
todayandtomorrow.ECactivityinthiscontextshould
besteppedup,notablyasregardsjobsandschool:
—ThetimehassurelycomeforspecificECresources
tobesetuptoaddressyouthunemployment ,togeth­
erwiththepromotionofcohesiveEC-widepolicies
ontherighttotrainingandofclearersupport
measuresforentryintothelabourmarket.1.2.8.ForaEurope'withoutfrontiers'shouldbea
continualspringboardofideas,ofcross-referencing ,of
'networking',ofcross-fertilisation ,ofcontactand
accesstowhatisbestbeingdoneorconceived.This
qualitativeapproachforadynamicCitizens'Europe
shouldalsoapplytotheachievingofbetterservices,
improvedhealthprotectionandwelfare,morecon­
sumerprotectionandacleanerenvironment .TheCom­
munity'scommitmenttohighstandardsinthesefields
isclearlylaiddowninArticle100a(3)oftheTreaty,
whichstatesthat'TheCommission ,initsproposals....
concerninghealth,safety,environmentalprotectionand
consumerprotection,willtakeasabaseahighlevelof
protection.'ThisisreaffirmedinArticles129aand130r
oftheMaastrichtTreaty.Measuresinthesefieldswill
nodoubtincreaseasaresultofqualifiedmajority
votinginCouncil,andshouldbeaccompaniedbythe
closerinvolvementofEuropeancitizensandtheir
environmental andconsumerprotectionagenciesin
monitoringtherights,obligationsandstandardslaid
down.ThereshouldalsobeeasierEC-wideaccessto
thecourtsforEuropeancitizensasconsumers.—TheECmightalsobemoreimaginativeinpromot­
ingthe'Europeandimension'atschool.Forexam­
ple,inadditiontoexploitingtheECcompetences
establishedatMaastrichtasregardspedagogical
material,languageteachingandtheencouragement
ofmobilitythroughoutEurope,perhapstheECand
thecompetentnationalauthoritiesmightconsider
involvingallyoungEuropeansatsecondaryand
trainingschoolintheorganisationofabiennial
'YoungEuropeConvention'.Thestartingpoint
wouldbetosupportsecondaryandtrainingschools
throughouttheCommunityinholdingelections
fromamongsttheirpupilstoregionalYoungEuro­
peanCouncils.TheseCouncilscouldinturnselect
delegatesforthe'YoungEuropeConvention'itself.
TheadvantageofsuchanECinitiativewouldbe
to'getthroughto'anddirectlyinvolveyoungpeople
atalllevels,fromlocaltotrans-national ,indebating
andregisteringtheirviewsonEurope.Perhapsthe
CommissionandEuropeanYouthForumcouldgive
someconsiderationtothissuggestion .1.2.9.GoodusebothoftheStructuralFundsand
ofanewCohesionFundwouldalsorequiregreater
participationby'Europeancitizens'throughtheirvari­
ousactionservices,specialinterestgroups,socio-pro­
fessionalorganisationsandappropriatestructurestobe
provided.
1.2.12.WemustcontinuetopromoteaEuropeof
'solidarity'betweengenerationsandcitizensaswellas
withtheworldasawhole.TheCommitteereiterates
itssupportfordesignating1993asthe'EuropeanYear
forOlderPeople'andforthebuildingoutofArticles
24and25oftheSocialCharterinordertopromotea
CommunityCharteroftheFundamentalRightsofOld­
erPeople,togetherwithanActionProgrammeof
measurestopromoteinter-generational solidarity.The
Committeealsoreiteratesitsviewsabouttheneedfor
actionaimedatintegratingpeoplewithdisabilities.1.2.10.Likewise,aEuropeoffreethought,free
movement,freedomofinformationandtherightto
privacy,mustbeasserted.ACitizens'Europemust
standfortransparencyandforfreedomofinformation
inacontextofrespectfortheindividual,aswellasfor
freedomofaccesstotheideas,mediaandculturesof
thirdcountries.Itmustnotdegenerateintoa'fortress'
ofcontrolsandchecksonitscitizens(oronother
personslegallyresidentinMemberStates).
2.Recommendations1.2.11.Inallthis,itisvitalforaCitizens'Europeto
educateitsyoungcitizensandpreparetheirfuture,to
broadentheirhorizons,toenablebetterparticipation
inandaccesstotheEuropeandimension,tohelpthem
becomemore'Europeconscious'.Thisisonearea
wherepracticalprogresshasbeenachievedinrecent
years,notablythroughnewECexchangeprogrammes
foryoungpeople.Howevermanyyoungpeopleremain
outsideanduntouchedbysuchECschemes,andare
oftenexcludedfromthemainstreamofEuropean
societyingeneral(theunemployed,thoseinprecarious
jobs,inpoverty,onthemarginsofsociety).More2.1.Tobackupthepoliticalandhistoricimportance
oftheconclusionsreachedbygovernmentsattheMaas­
trichtSummit,citizensmustbekeptmorefullyinfor­
medandinvolvedinthebuildingoftheEuropean
Union.Decisionsshouldbemadeatthelevel(European,

30.11.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC313/37
8)TheneedforasimilarECcommitmenttowider
socialandsocietalrights(2)infieldsincludingthe
environment ,consumerprotection,protectionof
thecitizensagainstabusivepracticesonthepartof
thepublicauthorities,culturalheritageanddata
protection,andconcerningvulnerabledisadvan­
tagedgroupsandthedisabled,theroleofsocio­
professionalgroupsandsafeguardingthefamily(3).
The'rightofconscience'shouldalsobeupheld.
9)TheneedforanadequateECBudgetinkeeping
with'EuropeanUnion'anddirectedtowardsmak­
inganefficientcontributiontoeconomicandsocial
cohesion,totrainingandtoreducingunemploy­
ment.
10)TheneedtodeviseEuropeanpoliciesforemploy­
mentandvocationaltraining,involvingsocialdia­
logueandtheincreasinglyactiveparticipationof
otherinterestgroups.
11)ThecaseforusingtheEuropeanYearoftheElderly
(1993)asanECinitiativewhich,withoutover­
lookingtheneedtoimprovethewellbeingof
today'sseniorcitizens,alsolaunchesthepolicies
neededtoimproveconditionsfortheelderlyof
tomorrow .
12)Theproposaltoorganizeabiennial'YoungEurope
Convention'.
2.2.Citizenshipisatokenofbelongingtoacom­
munityinwhicheachmembertakespartin
implementingthewishesofthewhole,submittingone­
selftothemwithoutlossofpersonalfreedom,since
oneisobeyingruleswhichonehashadasayindrawing
up.Ademocraticsocietycanonlybefreelyconstructed
aroundpositivevaluessharedbycitizenswhoareequal
infreedom.Europeancitizenshipisthereforenotsimply
thesumof12nationalcitizenships,butconstitutesan
'addedvalue',enrichingandaddingtothemall.national,regionalorlocal)wherethemaximumdemo­
craticcontrolandeffectivenessisensured(1).Tothis
end,theCommitteeconsidersthatUnion-wideaction
shouldfocusonthefollowing:
1)Theneedfor'EuropeanUnion'accessiontothe
EuropeanConventionfortheProtectionofHuman
RightsandFreedoms,togetherwiththeincorpor­
ationintotheTreatyofthe'DeclarationofFunda­
mentalRightsandFreedoms'oftheEuropeanPar­
liament.
2)TheneedforaTreatyprovisionbanningdiscrimi­
nationongroundsofsex,colour,race,opinions
andbeliefs.
3)Theneed,onthebasisoftheeliminationof
obstaclesandpracticalapplicationofthe'four
freedoms'(freemovementofpersons,goods,ser­
vicesandcapital),toassertequalityofrightsand
dutiesforallcitizensoftheUnion.
4)Theneedforproperdemocraticaccountability at
Europeanlevelguaranteedthroughappropriate
legislativepowersfortheEuropeanParliament,
transparentCouncildecision-making procedures,
fullappreciationofCommunitylawthroughan
independentCourtofJustice,andthedefenceand
developmentof'open'Europeanadministration .
5)TheneedfortheEuropeanParliamenttobeelected
accordingtoauniformelectoralsystemproviding
properrepresentation ofvariouspoliticalcurrents.
6)TheneedfortheEconomicandSocialCommittee
—aEuropeanprojectionofsimilarnationalorgans
ofsocialdialogue—andthenewCommitteeof
theRegions—aEuropeanprojectionofregional
competences—tocarryoutanddeveloptheir
functionsindependently ,buttosimilarpurpose,
puttingparticipatorydemocracyandtheirrep­
resentativestatustoworkintheinterestsofthe
EuropeanUnion.
7)TheneedfortheTreatyunequivocally toenable
theproperapplicationoftheSocialCharterand
SocialProtocolAgreementtoallcitizensconcerned
throughoutthe'EuropeanUnion'asawhole.
(2)Individualrightsenjoyedbyspecificgroupsofcategoriesof
citizens,suchastheelderly,thedisabled,thesick,etc.
(3)OJNoC277,31.10.1989,p.2.t1)Inkeepingwiththegeneralviewregisteredconcerning'subsi­
diarity'.
DoneatBrussels,23September1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH