Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Year of Citizens (2013)
Date: 2011-08-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, European citizenship, European cultural event, free movement of persons, public awareness campaign

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 11.8.2011 
COM(2011) 489 final 

2011/0217 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the European Year of Citizens (2013) 

{SEC(2011) 996 final} 

 
 
  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

•  General Context  

Union citizenship, provided for in Article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union (TFEU), is conferred automatically upon all Member States' nationals and grants them 
an  additional  set  of  rights,  which  include  the  right  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the 
territory of other Member States than the one of which they are nationals. 

The  right  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the  Member  States,  enshrined  in 
Article  21  TFEU  and  in  Article  45  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European 
Union,  is  one  of  the  most  highly  valued  individual  rights  granted  by  EU  law.  Freedom  of 
movement  is  virtually  synonymous  with  Union  citizenship1,  constituting  the  most  tangible 
expression of the benefits related to Union citizenship.  

More  broadly,  the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free  movement  contributes  to  giving  concrete 
significance  to  Union  citizenship  in  the  daily  life  of  citizens:  those  citizens  who  extend 
aspects of their lives beyond national borders by travelling to other Member States or settling 
there are compelled to find out about and take advantage of the broad range of rights granted 
under  EU  law  in  cross-border  situations:  their  rights  as  consumers  in  other  Member  States, 
their  rights  to  have  access  to  education,  to  obtain  recognition  of  their  professional 
qualifications, to access healthcare and acquire or preserve social security rights.  

The  rights  granted  to  Union  citizens  to  vote  and  to  stand  as  candidates  in  elections  to  the 
European  Parliament  and  in  municipal  elections  in  their  Member  State  of  residence  are  of 
primary  importance  in  this  context,  since  they  provide  Union  citizens  with  the  means  to 
participate  in  the  democratic  life  of  the  Union, whilst  at  the  same  time  contributing  to  their 
integration into the society of the Member States of residence.  

Moreover,  in  a  broader  context,  Union  citizenship  is  closely  related  to  the  democratic 
principles of the European Union2 which set the framework for the participation of citizens in 
the democratic life in the Union.  

•  Grounds for and objectives of the proposal 

In 2009, an estimated 11.9 million Union citizens were living in another Member State than 
their  own  and  many  more  might  exercise  this  right  at  some  point  in  their  lives:  a 
Eurobarometer  survey  conducted  in  20093  showed  that  more  than  one  third  (35%)  of 
European  citizens  would  consider  working  in  another  Member  State.  However,  as 
demonstrated by the same survey, close to one in five Europeans see too many obstacles to 
working  in  another  Member  State.  Another  2009  study4  found  that  lack  of  information  is 

1 
2 
3 

4 

Eurobarometer Qualitative survey "European Citizenship – Cross-border mobility", August 2010. 
Title II TEU, in particular Articles 9, 10 and 11. 
Flash  Eurobarometer  survey  263  "The  Internal  Market:  Awareness  –  Perceptions  –  Impacts",  April 
2009 
Scientific  Report  on  the  Mobility  of  Cross-Border  Workers  within  the  EU-27/EEA/EFTA  Countries, 
commissioned by the European Commission, January 2009 

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(together  with  language  difficulties)  the  most  important  barrier  to  cross-border  commuting, 
which  constitutes,  besides  trans-national  migration,  the  main  form  of  geographic  labour 
mobility within the EU.  

These  findings  were  confirmed  by  a  2010  survey investigating the experiences of European 
citizens having actually exercised their right to free movement5. Discussing possible ways to 
make intra-EU mobility easier, respondents stressed the need for Union citizens to dispose of 
practical, country-specific information on their rights when residing in other Member States 
than their own. This survey also showed that the information citizens need in order to exercise 
their  right  to  free  movement  is  not  strictly  limited  to  the  conditions  for  using  this  right  as 
such:  amongst  the  administrative  issues  which  people  had  looked  at  prior  to  moving  to 
another Member State, the two items mentioned most often were social security and welfare 
and the recognition of academic diplomas. 

It is clear that citizens who wish to study, work, retire, live in another Member State need to 
be adequately informed about the different rights available to them in cross-border situations 
and to be able to effectively enjoy them in practice. Without this knowledge citizens are not 
able to make informed decisions about making use of their free movement rights. 

More broadly, citizens' awareness of their rights to free movement and more generally of their 
rights as Union citizens is crucial to enable individuals, businesses and society as a whole to 
benefit from the full range of opportunities available in the single market.  

The  significant  gaps  in  citizens'  awareness  of  their  rights  were  demonstrated  by  a  2010 
Eurobarometer  survey6  which  showed  that,  although  Europeans  are  broadly  aware  of  their 
status as Union citizens (79% claim some familiarity with the term 'citizen of the European 
Union'),  they  lack  concrete  knowledge  about  the  exact  meaning  of  rights  attached  to  this 
status.  More  specifically,  only  43%  know  the  meaning  of  the  term  'citizen  of  the  European 
Union' and almost half of European citizens (48%) indicate that they are ‘not well informed’ 
about their rights. 

In  the  EU  Citizenship  Report  2010  "Dismantling  the  obstacles  to  EU  citizens'  rights"7,  the 
Commission identified main obstacles which citizens still encounter in their daily lives when 
they seek to exercise their rights as Union citizens and outlined 25 concrete actions to remove 
these obstacles. In the context of this exercise, the Commission concluded that Union citizens 
are prevented from enjoying their rights because they lack awareness of them and announced 
its intention to step up the dissemination of information to Union citizens about their rights as 
such  and  in  particular  about  their  free  movement  rights.  The  designation  of  2013  as  the 
European Year of Citizens, leading to the organisation of targeted events on EU citizenship 
and  citizen-related  EU  policies  during  this  year,  is  thus  listed  in  the  EU  Citizenship  Report 
2010 as one of the actions to implement in order to remedy this lack of awareness. 

The  overall  purpose  of  the  proposed  European  Year  of  Citizens  is  to  ensure  that  all  Union 
citizens are aware of the rights available to them in a cross-border context by virtue of their 
Union citizenship status, so as to enable them to make informed decisions about whether to 
make use of their right to free movement and to facilitate the effective exercise of this right. 
The European Year will aim, more specifically, at: 

5 
6 
7 

Eurobarometer Qualitative survey "European Citizenship – Cross-border mobility", August 2010 
Flash Eurobarometer survey 294 'EU citizenship", March 2010  
COM (2010) 603 final of 27.10.2010 

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–  raising  Union  citizens'  awareness  of  their right  to  move  and  reside  freely  within 
the European Union and more generally the rights guaranteed to Union citizens in 
cross-border situations, including their right to participate in the democratic life of 
the Union; 

–  raising Union citizens' awareness of how they can tangibly benefit from EU rights 
and policies while living in another Member State, and at stimulating their active 
participation in civic fora on Union policies and issues; 

–  stimulating a debate about the impact and potential of the right to free movement, 
as  an  inalienable  aspect  of  Union  citizenship,  in  particular  in  terms  of 
strengthening societal cohesion and mutual understanding between Union citizens 
and the bond between citizens and the Union.  

•  Consistency with other policies and objectives of the Union 

The  proposed  European  Year  of  Citizens  draws  upon  the  existing  strong  link  and  positive 
association in citizens' minds between the right to free movement and Union citizenship with 
a  view  to  giving  Union  Citizenship  concrete  significance.  It  thus  gives  effect  to  the 
Commission's political objective to put citizens at the heart of the EU policy agenda and to 
help Union citizenship become a tangible reality in their daily lives.  

The proposed European Year delivers on the commitment made by the European Commission 
President  José  Manuel  Barroso,  in  his  3  September  2009  political  guidelines  for  the  new 
Commission, to reinforce EU citizenship by revitalising the link between citizens and the EU 
and by giving real effect to their rights. 

It also delivers on the call of the European Parliament's resolution of 15 December 2010 on 
the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union (2009) – effective implementation 
after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. In this resolution the European Parliament 
calls upon the Commission to make 2013 the European Year of Citizenship in order to give 
momentum to the debate on European citizenship and inform Union citizens of their rights, in 
particular the new rights resulting from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.  

Consequently, the plan for the European Year of Citizens 2013 was presented on 18 January 
2011 to the Interinstitutional Group on Information.  

In  this  vein,  the  proposed  European  Year  is  also  in  line  with  the  Stockholm  Programme8, 
which puts the citizen at the heart of European policies in the field of freedom, security and 
justice and focuses its actions on ‘building a citizen’s Europe’, including by ensuring the full 
exercise of the citizens' right to free movement.  

The objective of the proposed European Year is further consistent with the objectives of the 
Europe 2020 strategy, to the extent that facilitating free movement and workers' mobility has 
been  acknowledged  in  the  "Youth  on  the  Move"  and  the  "Agenda  for  new  skills  and  jobs" 
flagship  initiatives9  as  well  as  the  2006  "European  Year  of  Workers'  Mobility"  and  the 

8 

9 

OJ  (2010/C  115/01)  -  Notices  from  E.U.  Institutions,  Bodies,  Offices  and  Agencies  –  European  Council  - 
The Stockholm Programme – an Open and secure Europe serving and protecting Ctizens 
COM (2010) 477 final of 15.9.2010 and COM (2010) 682 final of 23.11.2010 

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ensuing "European Job Mobility Action Plan"10 as a way of addressing the consequences of 
demographic change on the labour market and increasing the employability of people and the 
competitiveness of European economies.  

More generally, free movement either enables, as a necessary prerequisite, or stimulates the 
cross-border exercise by citizens of a broad range of EU rights, such as their social security 
rights,  their  right  to  look  for  a  job  and  work,  their  rights  as  passengers  or  tourists  or  their 
rights  as  consumers  to  access  goods  and  services  in  other  Member  States.  Facilitating  free 
movement  can  therefore  contribute,  inter  alia,  to  the  objectives  pursued  by  the  recent 
Commission initiative for the relaunch of the single market11, as it can encourage citizens to 
fully benefit from opportunities offered by the single market. In addition, the European Year 
would also directly boost awareness about these opportunities and rights as such, as it would 
aim to provide citizens with information about all relevant rights available to them in cross-
border situations. 

Moreover, the proposed European Year would both build on the EU Citizenship Report 2010 
and significantly contribute to the realisation of the objectives pursued by this report, namely 
to remove persisting obstacles to the effective enjoyment of Union citizens' rights.  

Based  on  evidence  of  the  main  problems  citizens  are  confronted  with  when  they  seek  to 
exercise  their  rights  as  Union  citizens  in  particular  in  cross-border  situations,  this  report 
identified  not  only  the  obstacles  persisting  in  relation  to  free  movement  itself  but  also  a 
number  of  issues  of  direct  interest  for  citizens  who  consider  exercising  their  right  to  free 
movement, where the EU needs to step up its efforts to disseminate information and remove 
remaining obstacles within the limits of its competencies. Such issues include property rights 
of international couples, the cross-border recognition of civil status documents, the protection 
of suspected and accused persons in criminal proceedings, taxation problems in cross-border 
situations,  cross-border  health  care  and  eHealth  technology  issues,  passenger  and  tourist 
rights, consumer rights, the recognition of academic diplomas and professional qualifications, 
social security issues, the exercise of electoral rights and awareness of the meaning of Union 
citizenship.  

The  European  Year  of  Citizens  can  therefore  draw  extensively  on  the  findings  of  the  EU 
Citizenship Report 2010 so as to better focus its aims and actions on the most relevant issues 
with a view to facilitating free movement of Union citizens.  

At the same time, the European Year can support the process launched by the Commission for 
the further identification of obstacles and solutions for their elimination, within the limits of 
the European Union's competencies, and provide the framework for the publication in 2013 of 
an action plan toward completing the removal of persistent obstacles standing in the way of 
citizens'  enjoyment  of  their  rights  as  Union  citizens,  as  announced  in  the  EU  Citizenship 
Report  2010.  By  contributing  to  this  exercise,  aimed  at  ensuring  that  Union  citizens  are 
effectively able to use their rights under EU law, the European Year of Citizens can contribute 
to  fulfilling  the  objective  of  Article  20(2)  TFEU,  according  to  which  Union  citizens  "shall 
enjoy" their rights under the Treaties, including their right to free movement.  

10 
11 

COM (2007) 773 final of 6.12.2007 
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  Economic  and 
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  "Towards  a  Single  Market  Act  –  For  a  highly 
competitive social market economy: 50 proposals for improving in our work, business and exchanges 
with one another", COM (2010) 608 final, of 27.10.2010  

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A  European  Year  of  Citizens  in  2013  will  also  provide  a  very  timely  opportunity  to  give 
visibility to Union citizenship and its concrete benefits for individuals, as that year will mark 
the  20th  anniversary  of  the  establishment  of  Union  citizenship  by  the  Treaty  of  Maastricht. 
Furthermore,  by  demonstrating  the  concrete  impact  of  Union  policies  in  citizens'  lives,  the 
European Year will highlight the importance of citizens' contribution in giving tangible effect 
to their rights and more generally in shaping the European project. Combined with awareness 
raising on citizens' electoral rights in their Member State of residence, this will also be crucial 
in view of the European Parliament elections in 2014. The impact of such awareness raising 
actions  would  be  multiplied  through  close  coordination  and  synergies  with  relevant  actions 
implemented  by  other  EU  institutions,  notably  the  European  Parliament,  and  by  Member 
States in the run up to these elections.  

2. 

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND 
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

•  Consultation of interested parties 

In the context of the public consultation carried out by the Commission on "EU citizens rights 
– the way forward", which was concluded on 15 June 2010, and the conference on this theme 
that took place on 1 and 2 July 2010, civil society organisations strongly supported the idea of 
focusing EU policies on the meaning of Union citizenship and on the rights attached to it and 
on ways for Union citizenship to acquire real significance in peoples' lives. Key civil society 
stakeholders  have  further  expressed  strong  support  for  awareness  raising  actions  aimed  at 
bridging the gap between legal rules guaranteeing free movement of Union  citizens  and the 
obstacles citizens are confronted with in reality.  

The  Commission  also  presented  the  plan  of  a  European  Year  of  Citizens  on  15  December 
2010  in  the  framework  of  its  regular  dialogue  with  civil  society.  In  this  context,  it  received 
positive feedback regarding in particular actions focusing on certain aspects of the exercise of 
rights  attached  to  Union  citizenship,  such  as  encouraging  citizens'  societal  engagement  and 
active involvement in giving effect to participative democracy. 

•  Collection and use of expertise 

Relevant data were collected through a number of recent Eurobarometer surveys and studies 
referred to above, in the section "Grounds and objectives of the proposal".  

•  Impact assessment 

An ex-ante evaluation was carried out.12  

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3. 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

•  Summary of the proposed action 

The European Year is aimed at raising awareness among multipliers and the general public on 
Union citizens' rights, with a  view to  facilitating  the exercise of  the right  to free movement 
and residence.  

To this end, it will raise Union citizens' awareness of their right to free movement and more 
generally  the  rights  guaranteed  to  them  in  cross-border  situations,  including  their  right  to 
participate in the democratic life of the Union.  

In  addition,  it  will  raise  Union  citizens'  awareness  on  how  they  can  benefit  from  EU  rights 
and  policies  when  extending  their  lives  beyond  national  borders,  including  by  stimulating 
their participation in civic fora on Union policies and issues.  

Moreover, the European Year will seek to launch a debate about the impact and potential of 
the  right  to  free  movement,  as  an  inalienable  aspect  of  Union  citizenship,  in  particular  in 
terms  of  strengthening  societal  cohesion  and  mutual  understanding  between  Union  citizens 
and the bond between citizens and the Union.  

•  Legal basis 

Article 20(2) TFEU provides that citizens of the Union shall enjoy the rights and be subject to 
the duties provided for in the Treaties, and that they shall have, inter alia, the right to move 
and reside freely within the territory of the Member States.  

The  right  of  Union  citizens  to  free  movement  and  residence  is  further  enshrined  in  Article 
21(1) of the Treaty, which reads as follows: 

"Every citizen of the Union shall have the right to move and reside freely within the territory 
of the Member States, subject to the limitations and conditions laid down in the Treaties and 
by the measures adopted to give them effect". 

The  main  purpose  of  the  proposal  for  a  Decision  on  the  European  Year  of  Citizens  is  to 
facilitate  the  exercise  by  Union  citizens  of  their  right  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the 
territory  of  the  Member  States  by  enhancing  their  awareness  about  their  rights  as  Union 
citizens.  Its  objective  falls  therefore  within  the  ambit  of  Article  21(1)  of  the  Treaty.  At  the 
same time, the proposal can be instrumental in giving effect to the objective of Article 20(2) 
TFEU,  which  prescribes  that  Union  citizens  "shall  enjoy"  their  rights  under  the  Treaties, 
including their right to free movement. 

This proposal consequently finds its legal basis in Article 21(2) TFEU, which provides that, if 
action by the Union should prove necessary to attain this objective and the Treaties have not 
provided  the  necessary  powers,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council,  acting  in 
accordance  with  the  ordinary  legislative  procedure,  may  adopt  provisions  with  a  view  to 
facilitating the exercise of the rights referred to in paragraph 1.  

•  Subsidiarity principle 

The main issue which the proposed European Year seeks to address is Union citizens' lack of 
adequate awareness and concrete knowledge about their right to free movement and residence 

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as  well  as  other  rights  they  are  entitled  to  as  Union  citizens,  in  particular  in  cross-border 
situations. The lack of visibility of Union citizenship and its concrete benefits for individuals, 
which  lies  at  the  heart  of  this  issue,  is  of  a  transnational  nature.  Although  Member  States 
retain  the  primary  responsibility  for  raising  citizens'  awareness  of  their  rights  as  Union 
citizens,  adequate  actions  to  address  this  problem  require  multilateral  partnerships, 
transnational exchanges of information and experience and Union-wide awareness-raising and 
dissemination of good practices. Therefore, the objectives of the proposed European Year can 
be better achieved at Union level. 

•  Proportionality principle 

As  indicated  in  the  ex-ante  evaluation  which  accompanies  this  proposal13,  the  actions  to  be 
implemented in the proposed European Year do not go beyond what is necessary to achieve 
its  objectives.  The  proposal  respects  therefore  the  principle  of  proportionality,  as  set  out  in 
that Article 5 TEU. 

•  Impact on fundamental rights  

The right of Union citizens to free movement and residence is enshrined in Article 45 of the 
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. To the extent that it aims at facilitating the exercise 
of this right, the proposed European Year will have a significant positive impact in terms of 
enhancing the effective implementation of the Charter.  

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION  

No  additional  funding  is  sought  for  the  European  Year.  The  flexibility  for  annual  priority-
setting  based  on  the  budget  lines  and  programmes  of  the  Directorate  General  for 
Communication provides sufficient financial margin for running the Year on a EUR 1 million 
scale.

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2011/0217 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the European Year of Citizens (2013) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 21 (2) thereof  

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee14,  

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions15,  

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Article  20(1)  of  the  Treaty  provides  for  citizenship  of  the  Union  as  additional  to 
national  citizenship  of  the  respective  Member  States,  stipulating  that  every  person 
holding the nationality of a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. The second 
paragraph of Article 20 specifies that citizens of the Union shall enjoy the rights and 
be subject to the duties provided for in the Treaties, and that they shall have, inter alia, 
the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. The right 
of Union citizens to free movement and residence is further enshrined in Article 21 of 
the Treaty.  

The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty strengthened the status of Union citizenship 
and complemented the rights attached to it, including by introducing a new right, the 
Citizens'  Initiative,  which  enables  one  million  citizens,  from  a  significant  number  of 
Member States, to ask the Commission to present a proposal in any of the EU's areas 
of responsibility. 

The  rights  inherent  to  citizenship  of  the  Union  are  incorporated  in  the  Charter  of 
Fundamental Rights of the European Union. According to the Charter's Preamble, the 
Union 'places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing a citizenship 
of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice'. Chapter V of the 
Charter  sets  down  "Citizens'  rights",  including,  in  its  Article  45,  the  right  of  every 

14 
15 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

citizen  of  the  Union  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the  Member 
States.  

Accordingly,  the  Stockholm  Programme16  puts  the  citizen  at  the  heart  of  European 
policies in the field of freedom, security and justice. It focuses its actions on ‘building 
a citizen’s Europe’, including by ensuring the full exercise of the citizens' right to free 
movement.  

In  its  "Resolution  of  15  December  on  the  situation  of  fundamental  rights  in  the 
European  Union  (2009)  -  effective  implementation  after  the  entry  into  force  of  the 
Treaty of Lisbon"17 the European Parliament called on the Commission to devote the 
2013 European Year to citizenship in order to give momentum to the debate on Union 
citizenship  and  inform  Union  citizens  of  their  rights,  in  particular  the  new  rights 
resulting from the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.  

Since  its  introduction  in  the  1957  Treaty  of  Rome  as  one  of  the  four  fundamental 
freedoms, the right to free movement and residence has demonstrated its value as one 
of the pillars for the creation of a single market for the benefit of both Member States' 
economies and of individual citizens.  

In particular, free movement and workers' mobility help addressing the consequences 
of demographic change on the labour market, while also increasing the employability 
of  people  and  improving  the  competitiveness  of  European  industries.  At  the  same 
time,  free  movement  either  enables,  as  an  essential  condition,  or  stimulates  the 
exercise by citizens of a broad range of rights available to them under Union law, such 
as their rights as consumers to access goods and services or their rights as passengers 
and tourists. Facilitating free movement has therefore the potential to enhance citizens' 
possibilities  to  fully  benefit  from  the  single  market,  whilst  being  a  key  driver  for 
growth.  

The right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States is highly 
valued  by  Union  citizens  as  a  core  individual  right  deriving  from  Union  citizenship. 
As such, it demonstrates and promotes a better understanding of the value of European 
integration,  as  well  as  citizens'  participation  in  shaping  the  European  Union.  When 
extending aspects of their lives beyond national borders by travelling to other Member 
States or settling there, citizens become aware and take advantage of the broad array of 
rights granted to them under Union law in cross-border situations. Exercising the right 
to  free  movement  and  residence  therefore  contributes  to  making  Union  citizenship  a 
tangible reality in the daily life of citizens.  

Despite  the  fact  that  the  right  to  free  movement  and  residence  is  firmly  anchored  in 
primary Union law and substantially developed in secondary law, a gap still remains 
between the applicable legal rules and the reality confronting citizens when they seek 
to  exercise  this  right  in  practice.  Aside  from  an  uncertainty  over  the  advantages  of 
being  mobile,  Union  citizens  perceive  too  many  practical  obstacles  with  regard  to 
living and working elsewhere in the Union. 

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(10) 

In  the  EU  Citizenship  Report  2010  "Dismantling  the  obstacles  to  EU  citizens' 
rights"18, the Commission addressed the main obstacles which citizens still encounter 
in  their  daily  lives  when  they  seek  to  exercise  their  rights  as  Union  citizens,  in 
particular in cross-border situations and outlined 25 concrete actions to remove these 
obstacles. One of the obstacles identified in this context was lack of information. The 
Commission  concluded,  in  the  EU  Citizenship  Report  2010,  that  Union  citizens  are 
prevented  from  enjoying  their  rights  because  they  lack  awareness  of  them  and 
announced its intention to step up the dissemination of information to Union citizens 
about their rights, in particular about their right to free movement. 

(11)  Given  that  the  right  to  free  movement  significantly  improves  individuals'  lives,  it  is 
vital that information about the existence of this right and the conditions for exercising 
it is available as broadly as possible. As all Union citizens are potential beneficiaries 
of this right, awareness raising efforts should be made across the Union.  

(12)  However,  to  enable  Union  citizens  to  make  informed  decisions  about  whether  to 
exercise their right to free movement, it does not suffice to raise their awareness about 
the right to free movement itself; it is essential that Union citizens are also adequately 
informed  about  other  rights  available  to  them  under  Union  law  in  a  cross-border 
context.  This  information  will  also  enable  them  to  fully  enjoy  these  rights,  if  they 
decide to make use of their right to free movement. 

(13) 

(14) 

In  particular,  Union  citizens  considering  whether  to  make  use  of  their  right  to  free 
movement should be informed about their rights to acquire or preserve social security 
rights  by  virtue  of  the  Union  rules  on  coordination  of  social  security  systems;  these 
rules ensure that they will not lose out on their social security rights when choosing to 
move  within  Europe.  They  should  further  be  informed  about  their  right  to  obtain 
recognition  of  their  professional  qualifications  and  about  the  social  and  civic 
competences  which  form  part  of  the  European  framework  of  "Key  Competences  for 
lifelong  learning"19  and  which  can  equip  them  to  fully  participate  in  civic  life  and 
empower them to exercise their rights under Union law.  

In  this  context,  citizens  should  also  be  better  informed  of  their  rights  as  passengers 
travelling  by  any  transport  mode  across  the  European  Union  and  of  their  consumer 
rights  across  borders.  If  they  are  confident  that  their  rights  as  consumers  are 
effectively protected, they will contribute  more  to the development of the European-
wide market for goods and services to its full potential and better enjoy its benefits. In 
the same vein, citizens should be better informed about rules on general product safety 
and  market  surveillance,  so  as  to  be  aware  of  how  their  health  and  their  rights  are 
protected  throughout  the  EU,  particularly  when  it  comes  to  threats  or  risks  that  they 
cannot  deal  with  as  individuals.  It  would  be  further  important  to  enhance  citizens' 
awareness  of  their  rights  to  cross-border  healthcare,  so  that  they  are  able  to  fully 
benefit from safe and good quality healthcare across European borders. 

(15)  Awareness  of  the  electoral  rights  guaranteed  to  Union  citizens  is  of  primary 
importance in this respect. Union citizens should be fully aware of their right to vote 

18 
19 

COM (2010) 603 final. 
Recommendation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  18 December  2006  on  key 
competences for lifelong learning, OJ L 394, 30.12.2006, p. 10. 

EN 

10 

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and  stand  as  candidates  in  the  municipal  and  European  Parliament  elections  in  their 
Member State of residence. At the same time, political participation can contribute to 
the  integration  of  Union  citizens  into  the  society  of  their  chosen  Member  States  of 
residence. 

(16)  Enhanced citizens' awareness of the benefits of these rights for them individually and 
for society can also contribute to a stronger sense of belonging and adherence to the 
Union. 

(17)  A European Year of Citizens in 2013 will provide a very timely opportunity to raise 
the awareness of the general public about the rights attached to Union citizenship and 
thus  to  contribute  to  the  objective  of  facilitating  the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free 
movement.  

(18)  The year 2013 will be the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Union citizenship 
by  the  Treaty  of  Maastricht,  which  entered  into  force  on  1st  November  1993.  The 
European  Year  of  Citizens  will  be  marked  by  the  follow  up  to  the  EU  Citizenship 
Report  and  of  an  action  plan  toward  completing  the  removal  of  remaining  obstacles 
standing  in  the  way  of  citizens'  enjoyment  of  their  rights  as  Union  citizens.  This 
European  Year  will  give  visibility  to  Union  citizenship  and  its  concrete  benefits  for 
individuals,  including  by  demonstrating  the  tangible  impact  of  Union  policies  in 
citizens'  lives,  in  particular  in  terms  of  removing  obstacles  to  the  enjoyment  of  their 
rights. 

(19)  Raising  awareness  about  citizens'  rights,  including  their  electoral  rights  in  their 
Member  State  of  residence,  is  also  important  in  view  of  the  European  Parliament 
elections in 2014. The impact of such awareness raising actions should be multiplied 
through  close  coordination  and  exploitation  of  synergies  with  relevant  actions 
implemented  by  other  Union  institutions,  notably  the  European  Parliament,  and  by 
Member States in the run up to these elections. 

(20) 

In order to optimise the effectiveness and efficiency of the activities envisaged for the 
year of implementation (2013), it is important to carry out a set of preparatory actions 
with full respect for Article 49(6) of the Financial Regulation20.  

(21)  This European Year should make full use of existing participatory tools and the rights 
enshrined in Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union to stimulate citizens' 
involvement  in  the  process  of  implementing  the  2013  action  plan  for  the  removal  of 
obstacles  to  the  enjoyment  of  their  rights  and,  more  broadly,  in  defining  Union 
policies  that  give  concrete  effect  to  their  rights.  European  civil  society  organisations 
will have a central role in this respect. 

(22)  The  primary  responsibility  for  raising  citizens'  awareness  of  their  rights  as  Union 
citizens  rests  with  Member  States;  action  at  Union  level  complements  and 
supplements national actions in this respect, as highlighted in the political declaration 

20 

Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the  Financial  Regulation 
applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Communities  (the  Financial  Regulation)  OJ  L  248, 
16.9.2002, p. 1. - Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 of 13 December 
2006 (OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1). 

EN 

11 

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"Communicating Europe in Partnership" signed on 22 October 2008 by the European 
Parliament, the Council and the Commission21. 

(23)  Given  the  scale  of  the  proposed  action,  and  in  particular  due  to  the  need  for 
multilateral  partnerships,  transnational  exchange  of  information  and  Union-wide 
awareness-raising and dissemination of good practices, the objectives of the proposed 
European Year can be better achieved at Union level. The Union may therefore adopt 
relevant measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity set out in Article 5 
of  the  Treaty  on  the  European  Union.  In  accordance  with  the  principle  of 
proportionality,  as  set  out  in  that  Article,  this  Decision  does  not  go  beyond  what  is 
necessary to achieve those objectives. 

(24)  Appropriate  measures  should  be  taken  to  prevent  irregularities  and  fraud  and  the 
necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used 
in accordance with Council Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 
1995  on  the  protection  of  the  European  Communities’  financial  interests22  and 
(Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and 
inspections  carried  out  by  the  Commission  in  order  to  protect  the  European 
irregularities23  and 
Communities’  financial 
Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 
May  1999  concerning  investigations  conducted  by  the  European  Anti-Fraud  Office 
(OLAF)24. 

interests  against  fraud  and  other 

(25)  Union funding for other activities than those funded under the budget of the European 
Year  may  be  given  through  existing  Union  programmes  or  the  Structural  Funds,  in 
particular  the  "Europe  for  Citizens"  programme  and  the  "Fundamental  Rights  and 
Citizenship" programme, 

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

Subject-matter 

The year 2013 shall be designated as the 'European Year of Citizens' (hereinafter referred to 
as 'the European Year'). 

Article 2 

Objectives 

The  general  purpose  of  the  European  Year  shall  be  to  enhance  awareness  of  the  rights 
attached to Union citizenship, in order to help citizens make full use of their right to move and 
reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the  Member  States.  In  this  context,  the  European  Year 
shall focus, among others, on the opportunities for civic participation and access to rights by 

21 
22 
23 
24 

OJ C 13, 20.1.2009, p.3. 
OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1. 
OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2. 
OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Union  citizens  residing  in  another  Member  State  than  their  own,  by  students,  workers, 
consumers, and providers of goods and services across the Union.  

On this basis, the specific objectives of the European Year shall be: 

– 

– 

– 

to  raise  Union  citizens'  awareness  of  their  right  to  move  and  reside  freely 
within the European Union and more generally the rights guaranteed to Union 
citizens  in  cross-border  situations,  including  their  right  to  participate  in  the 
democratic life of the Union;  

to raise Union citizens' awareness of how they can tangibly benefit from Union 
rights and policies while living in another Member State, and to stimulate their 
active participation in civic fora on Union policies and issues; 

to  stimulate  a  debate  about  the  impact  and  potential  of  the  right  to  free 
movement, as an inalienable aspect of Union citizenship, in particular in terms 
of  strengthening  societal  cohesion  and  mutual  understanding  between  Union 
citizens and the bond between citizens and the Union.  

Article 3 

Initiatives involved 

1. 

The measures to be taken to achieve the objectives set out in Article 2 may include 
the following initiatives organised at Union, national, regional or local level linked to 
the objectives of the European Year: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

information, education and awareness raising campaigns targeted at the general 
public and more specific audiences; 

exchange of information, sharing of experience and good practices of national, 
regional, local administrations and other organisations; 

conferences  and  events  to  promote  debate  and  raise  awareness  of  the 
importance and benefits of the right to free movement and residence and more 
generally citizens' rights as Union citizens; 

use  of  the  existing  multilingual  participatory  tools  to  stimulate  citizens' 
contributions  in  giving  tangible  effect  to  their  rights  and  more  generally  in 
achieving the objectives of the European Year; 

strengthening  of  the  role  and  visibility  of  the  multilingual  Europe  Direct  and 
Your  Europe  web  portal  as  key  elements  of  a  'one-stop-shop'  information 
system on Union citizens' rights; 

strengthening  of  the  role  and  visibility  of  problem  solving  tools,  such  as 
SOLVIT, to allow Union citizens to better make use of and defend their rights. 

2. 

Details of the initiatives referred to in paragraph 1 are set out in the Annex.  

EN 

13 

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3. 

The Commission and the Member States may identify other activities as contributing 
to objectives of the European Year and allow the name of the European Year to be 
used  in  promoting  those  activities  insofar  as  they  contribute  to  achieving  the 
objectives set out in Article 2. 

Article 4 

Coordination at Union level and implementation 

The  Commission  shall  cooperate  closely  with  Member  States  and  bodies  and  associations 
which represent local and regional interests, in particular the Committee of Regions. 

The  Commission  shall  also  cooperate  closely  with  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee. 

The  Commission  shall  convene  meetings  of  representatives  of  European  organisations  or 
bodies  active  in  the  field  of  defending  citizens'  rights  and  stakeholders  to  assist  the 
Commission in implementing the European Year at Union level.  

The Commission shall implement this Decision at Union level.  

Article 5 

Financial provisions 

1. 

2. 

Measures which are Union-wide in nature, referred to in part A of the Annex, shall 
give rise to a procurement contract or the award of grants financed from the general 
budget of the Union. 

Measures which are Union-wide in nature, referred to in part B of the Annex, may be 
subsidised by the general budget of the Union. 

Article 6 

International cooperation 

For  the  purpose  of  the  European  Year,  the  Commission  may  cooperate  with  appropriate 
international organisations.  

Article 7  

Protection of the Union's financial interests 

1. 

The  Commission  shall  ensure  that,  when  actions  financed  under  this  Decision  are 
implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of 
preventive  measures  against  fraud,  corruption  and  any  other  illegal  activities,  by 
effective checks and by the recovery of the amounts unduly paid and, if irregularities 
are detected, by effective, proportional and dissuasive penalties. The Commission is 
authorised  to  carry  out  checks  and  verifications  in  situ  under  this  Decision,  in 

EN 

14 

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compliance  Council  Regulation  (Euratom,  EC)  No  2185/96  of  11  November  1996 
concerning  on-the-spot  checks  and  inspections  carried  out  by  the  Commission  in 
order  to  protect  the  European  Communities'  financial  interests  against  fraud  and 
other  irregularities.  If  need  be,  investigations  shall  be  carried  out  by  the  European 
Anti-Fraud  Office  and  shall  be  governed  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  1073/1999  of  the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations 
conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) (25).  

For the Union actions financed under this Decision, the notion of irregularity referred 
to  in  Article  1(2)  of  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  2988/95  shall  mean  any 
infringement  of  a provision  of Union law or any breach of a contractual obligation 
resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator which has, or would have, 
the  effect  of  prejudicing  the  general  budget  of  the  Union  by  an  unjustified  item  of 
expenditure.  

The Commission shall reduce, suspend or recover the amount of financial assistance 
granted  for  an  action  if  it  finds  irregularities,  particularly  non-compliance  with  the 
provisions  of  this  Decision  or  of  the  individual  decision  or  contract  granting  the 
financial  support  in  question,  or  if  it  transpires  that,  without  Commission  approval 
having being sought, the action has undergone significant change that conflicts with 
its nature or with its implementing conditions. 

If  the  time  limits  have  not  been  observed  or  if  only  part  of  the  allocated  financial 
assistance  is  justified  by  the  progress  made  with  implementing  an  action,  the 
Commission  shall  request  the  beneficiary  to  submit  observations  within  a  specified 
period. If the beneficiary does not give a satisfactory answer, the Commission may 
cancel  the  remaining  financial  assistance  and  demand  repayment  of  sums  already 
paid. 

Any amount unduly paid shall be repaid to the Commission. Interest shall be added 
to any sums not repaid in due time under the conditions laid down in the Financial 
Regulation26. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Article 8 

Monitoring and evaluation 

By 31 December 2014, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament, the 
Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on 
the  implementation,  results  and  overall  assessment  of  the  initiatives  provided  for  in  this 
Decision. 

25 
26 

OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p.1. 
Council  Regulation  (EC,  Euratom)  No  1605/2002  of  25  June  2002  on  the  Financial  Regulation 
applicable  to  the  general  budget  of  the  European  Communities  (the  Financial  Regulation)  OJ  L  248, 
16.9.2002, p. 1. - Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 of 13 December 
2006 (OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1). 

EN 

15 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Article 9 

Entry into force 

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal 
of the European Union. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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16 

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MEASURES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 3 

ANNEX 

As a guiding principle, the implementation of the European Year will be built around a broad Union-
wide information campaign which can be complemented by actions of the Member States. Both Union 
and  national  actions  can  also  involve  civil  society  and  other  stakeholders  with  a  view  to  create 
ownership of all key actors. The implementation will be carried out through the following measures: 

A. 

DIRECT UNION INITIATIVES 

Financing  will  generally  take  the  form  of  direct  purchase  of  goods  and  services  under  existing 
framework  contracts.  Part  of  the  financing  can  be  devoted  to  the  provision  of  linguistic  services 
(translation, interpretation, multilingual information). 

Information and promotion campaigns including: 

•  Production and dissemination of audiovisual and print material which reflect the messages outlined 

in Article 2; 

•  high visibility events and fora for exchanging experience and good practices; 

•  measures to publicise the results and raise the profile of Union programmes, schemes and initiatives 

contributing to the objectives of the European Year; 

•  the  establishment  of  an  information  website  on  Europa  (http://europa.eu/index_en.htm)  which  is 

dedicated to the actions implemented in the context of the European Year. 

B. 

CO-FINANCING UNION INITIATIVES 

No co-financing initiatives are foreseen. 

C. 

INITIATIVES NOT RECEIVING ANY UNION FINANCIAL AID 

The  Union  will  grant  non-financial  support,  including  written  authorisation  to  use  the  label,  once 
developed, and other materials associated with the European Year, to initiatives carried out by public or 
private  organisations,  in  so  far  as  they  provide  assurances  to  the  Commission  that  the  initiatives  in 
question  are  or  will  be  carried  out  during  2013  and  are  likely  to  make  a  significant  contribution  to 
achieving the objectives of the European Year.  

_______________ 

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