Debate: Implementation of the Treaty provisions on national parliaments - Implementation of the Treaty provisions on EU citizenship
Date: TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY 2024
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

The Commission believes in and fosters strong relations with national parliaments, who are important allies to deliver on citizens expectations and constructively shape the Union’s future. National parliaments and their members can foster engagement and a feeling among citizens of being represented in EU matters. This is crucial these days, when disinformation, propaganda and other threats to our democracies are on the rise. The Commission acknowledges the important contribution that national parliaments can make to creating a European public sphere, as highlighted in the European Parliament’s report. The exchange with national parliaments, in building coalitions for the positive change is extremely important, as President von der Leyen underlined in her contribution the COSAC plenary meeting in Prague in 2022.  Therefore, the Commission very much appreciates the active engagement of national parliaments beyond the subsidiarity control. We value the suggestions we receive on our initiatives in the framework of our lively political dialogue. The hundreds of such opinions each year show that national parliaments see these also as an important channel to make their voices heard on substance.  The Commission encourages national parliaments to engage earlier in the process by providing forward-looking political input, such as on the annual Commission work programme and using own-initiative opinions to tell us about future initiatives that they deem necessary.  I am sure that our political dialogue with the national parliaments, through the established channels and generally interparliamentary cooperation, still bears great potential for addressing current and future challenges.  When it comes to EU citizenship, I would like to underline that the Commission is committed to continuing to improve the exercise of EU citizenship rights.  Indeed, 30 years ago, the introduction of EU citizenship fundamentally changed the relationship between the EU and its citizens. Rights and opportunities that come with this status have become part of our lives. When we travel across the EU or outside the EU, or when we take part in the democratic process.  In a Eurobarometer of December, 87 % of respondents agreed that they feel they are citizens of the European Union. At the same time, only half of the respondents indicated that they feel well informed about their rights. It is therefore crucial that all EU citizens, including those with special needs, like citizens with a disability, can exercise their rights effectively.  We need to make EU citizenship rights more tangible for our citizens. It is in this light that we presented a citizenship package in December that builds on the European democracy action plan, and which was complemented by the defence of democracy package.  The citizenship package includes the 2023 EU citizenship report, which extensively covers the progress made in enhancing and promoting citizenship rights and democratic participation. It also includes a proposal to amend the rules under the Consular Protection Directive to better protect EU citizens abroad, new guidance on the rights to free movement, reflecting evolutions in the case law of the European Court of Justice, a guide of a good electoral practices for citizens with a disability, so that these can exercise the electoral rights effectively, and the compendium of e-voting and other ICT practices to further support Member States in promoting the easy exercise of electoral rights.  Finally, as a follow up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Commission also presented a guide to EU citizenship intended to make European citizenship more tangible for citizens, in particular for young people and people who recently acquired EU citizenship.  This is particularly important in light of the next European Parliament elections, where we want to stimulate active citizenship and make sure that all EU citizens can make use of their rights, in particular their electoral rights.  It will now be crucial to make best use of all these new tools. And we also look forward to continuing to work in partnership with you, to lay the groundwork for a reflection on further work on EU citizenship during the next Commission term of office, also on the basis of this report.