Activities of Willy MEYER related to 2011/0217(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Year of Citizens (2013)
Amendments (19)
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a decision
Title 1
Title 1
Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Year of Citizenship (2013)
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) Citizens and the associations that represent them are central to the functioning of the Union, as stated in Articles 10 and 11 of the Treaty on European Union, which emphasise the importance of all aspects of participatory democracy.
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) 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 at least one million citizens, from a significant numbt least a quarter of the Member States, to ask the Commission to present a proposal in any of the EU’s areas of responsibility.
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) 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 citizen of the Union to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, and this right must be guaranteed, in accordance with the Treaties, to nationals of non-EU countries legally resident in the territory of a Member State.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) As stated in the Charter’s Preamble, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity, which are of fundamental importance for the exercise of citizenship.
Amendment 30 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) Where migrant workers’ rights are concerned, a key factor in ensuring that EU law is properly applied is to see to it that such workers, their families and other interested parties are made aware of and informed about the rights and opportunities they have as a result of the right to free movement.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Freedom of thought, expression and information, and media pluralism and independence, are essential principles for the exercise of citizenship.
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) 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 right as workers to join a trade union, 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, although occupational mobility must go hand in hand with the safeguarding of workers’ social security and trade union rights, and must not be regarded by employers as an opportunity for wage and social dumping, cutting wages and welfare cover or downgrading working conditions.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 10a (new)
Recital 10a (new)
(10a) EU legislation on the free movement of persons must not be used by the Member States to discriminate directly or indirectly against migrant workers and their families. The EU must guarantee that such workers receive equal treatment as regards tax and social benefits, social housing, access to education for their children and vocational training courses.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15
Recital 15
(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 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. It would also be appropriate to follow the example of those Member States in which people aged 16 and over, and non-EU nationals residing in the Member State concerned, are entitled to vote.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 16
Recital 16
(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. The Commission ought also to ensure that local, regional and national authority representatives, civil society and the media are more closely involved in helping citizens improve their understanding of the impact that European policies have on national and local policies.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 17
Recital 17
(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, to identify and remove obstacles to the full enjoyment of those rights, and thus to contribute to the objective of facilitating the exercise of the right to free movement.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
The year 2013 shall be designated as the ‘European Year of Citizenship’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the European Year’).
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
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 Union citizens residing in another Member State than their own, by students, workers, consumers, and providers of goods and services across the Union.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – indent 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – indent 2 a (new)
– to develop communication and information networks and tools that make it possible to boost dialogue with the institutions, in all European languages;
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – indent 3
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – indent 3
– to stimulate a debate about the impact and potential of the right to free movement, as an inalienable aspect of Union citizenship, without discrimination on the grounds of nationality or ethnic origin, in particular in terms of strengthening societal cohesion and mutual understanding between Union citizens and the bond between citizens and the Union.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 1
– information, education and awareness raising campaigns targeted at the general public and more specific audiences, involving local, regional and national authorities and civil society organisations;
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 2
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 2
– exchange of information, sharing of experience and good practices of national, regional, and local administrations and othercivil society organisations;
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
The Commission shall convene meetings of representatives of European civil society 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.