Brussels, 23/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - In the evening of Tuesday 23 October, the European Parliament was due to adopt Antigoni Papadopoulou's report (S&D, Cyprus) on the European Year of Citizens 2013. The text was adopted by the civil liberties committee on 3 September. “The European Year gives a new momentum to the debate on Union citizenship at time of economic, political and social crisis and puts informed and effective exercise of all rights attached to Union citizenship at the centre of the political agenda”, Papadopoulou said.
Every citizen in the European Union enjoys a set of rights under the EU treaties, including the right to move and reside freely in another member state, the right to vote and stand as a candidate in European and local elections, and the right to petition the European Parliament. However, EU citizens are often unaware of these rights. The year 2013 will mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Citizenship of the European Union and, for this occasion, the European Commission proposed on 12 August 2012 to designate the year 2013 the European Year of Citizens. The objective of this event is to inform the general public, especially young people, on how to put their rights into practice. Papdopoulou proposed 47 amendments to the European Commission's text. Among these amendments are a change to the title “European Year of Citizenship” and the wish to widen the scope of this European Year by moving beyond the restrictive vision of the Commission (adding a list of rights enjoyed by European citizens, with emphasis on the role of education, gender equality, women's rights). The report also stresses cooperation with local authorities, working with national parliaments, Europe Direct centres and the involvement of civil society. (IL/transl.fl)