2021/2099(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)

— having regard to the European Commission Report of 17 June 2020 on the Impact of Demographic Change in Europe,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas EUthe citizenship of a EU Member State is one of most tangible achievements of the EU and confers on EU citizens of a Member State a set of fundamental rights, including free movement in the EU, the right to participate in European democratic life and the right to be protected from discrimination;

Amendment 11 #

Jana TOOM, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas EU citizenship is one of most tangible achievements of the EU and confers on EU citizens a set of fundamental rights, including free movement in the EU, the right to participate in European democratic life and the right to be protected from discrimination; while ensuring equal opportunities;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

A a. whereas Brexit has highlighted the importance of EU citizenship rights and their crucial role in the everyday lives of millions of EU citizens, and has raised awareness in the EU about the potential loss of these rights and its consequences, as revealed by the large number of petitions submitted by EU citizens living in the UK and by UK citizens residing in an EU country on the consequences of Brexit on their status of EU citizens;

Amendment 13 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the rule of law is one of the values that underpin the Union, and its protection ensures respect for fundamental rights and democracy;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas freedom of movement, which allows any EU citizen to live, work or study or access to their right to healthcare in any Member State, is one of the foundations of the EU;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas active citizenship is better ensured if the fundamental needs of citizens are satisfied; hence, the protection provided by minimum wages is of great importance and is a prerequisite for the goal EU has set, to leave no one behind;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas COVID-19 and the relevant measures put in place by Member States in order to contain its spread have affected the full exercise of the right to privacy and data protection;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

B b. whereas people facing precarious working and living conditions often feel marginalised and participate less or not at all in social life, as well as in civil society and in elections;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)

B c. whereas homeless people not only face precarious living conditions but often have little or no access to information regarding their rights and the tools to defend them;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)

B d. whereas numerous cross-border and seasonal workers face difficult, unhealthy and not safe working conditions, little or no job security and insufficient or no social security coverage and access to social benefits; whereas many cross-border and seasonal workers often come from vulnerable social groups and regions; whereas COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the already existing precarious situations of numerous cross- border and seasonal workers, creating gaps in the implementation of existing legislation for their protection;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)

— having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)

B e. whereas a definition of vulnerable, disadvantaged or underrepresented groups vary widely between Member States and even may depend on the political and social situation in MS in a given moment;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the COVID-19 outbreak has brought a number of unprecedented challenges to free movement across the EU, with many Member States violating EU citizens rights conferred by the Treaties, imposing travel restrictions and internal border controls ~~as emergency measures~~; whereas EU citizens submitted a significant number of petitions raising serious concerns over the impact of national emergency measures on their freedom to travel, work and study abroad, and their ability to build and maintain cross-border family ties;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

C a. whereas the Regulation 2021/953 on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery certificates (EU Digital COVID Certificate) was intended only to "facilitate freedom of movement" during the COVID-19 pandemic but many EU Member States are using it to condition fundamental rights like the right to work, the right to travel, the right to healthcare; 1a _________________ 1a https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021 R0953

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

C a. whereas the pandemic has a particular negative impact on the situation of people with disabilities and the elderly, significantly reducing the enjoyment of their rights;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

C b. Whereas the Regulation (EU) 2021/953 on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery certificates (EU Digital COVID Certificate) must not be understood as facilitating or encouraging the adoption of restrictions to free movement, or restrictions to other fundamental rights, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, given their detrimental effects on Union citizens and businesses;1b _________________ 1b https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021 R0953

Amendment 25 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas PETI has received a considerable number of petitions raising concerns over the discrimination experienced by LGBTIQ persons in the EU in general, and rainbow ~~familie~~households (i.e. families where at least one member is LGBTIQ) in particular~~, when exercising their freedom of movement in the EU, resulting in adverse consequences for the rights and interests of their children~~;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

D a. Whereas Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights explicitly prohibits non-discrimination based on any grounds such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientations as the primary expression of EU Citizenship; whereas it forms at the same time a crucial component of the successful exercise of the freedom of movement, as evidenced in the petitions;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas around 50 million people belong to a national minority or a minority language community in the EU; whereas the Commission has taken no legislative steps in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe’, despite the fact that it was largely supported by Parliament;

Amendment 28 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

E a. whereas the acquisition and loss of citizenship remains a competence of the Member States;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas petitions have shown that mobile EU citizens and residents still face difficulties in exercising their electoral rights, owing to administrative burdens and bureaucracy, language barrier in Member States, and misinformation or a lack of cooperation by Member State authorities;

Amendment 3 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 c (new)

— having regard Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies,

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

F a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote further cooperation in situations where workers receive benefits and pay contributions in different EU Member States, by reinforcing the cross-border exchange of information between the different social security authorities, so that all of the contributions can be duly taken into account in calculating pension rights;

Amendment 31 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)

F b. Calls on Member States to better inform EU citizens as to their rights and duties, and to facilitate entitlement to these rights being respected equally both in their country of origin and in any other Member State;

Amendment 32 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital F c (new)

F c. Recalls that access to health services, coordination of social security schemes and recognition of professional qualifications in other Member States are the areas where EU citizens are often facing difficulties and calls for a vigorous enforcement by the Commission in order to redress those situations ;

Amendment 33 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas persons with disabilities still face legal, practical and physical barriers to effectively exercising their right to vote and to be elected, the right to access information on election regulations and procedures, election programs and debates in formats adapted to the needs of people with various types of disabilities, and thus continue to be under-represented in elections; whereas data on the electoral participation of under- represented groups remains limited;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

G a. Supports the development of a mutually recognized EU disability card to ensure equal access within the EU to certain benefits and urges all Member States to participate in the system in order to guarantee the freedom of movement for persons with disabilities;

Amendment 35 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)

G b. Urges all Member States to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and to sign the Protocol; In the context of the ratification of this Convention, urges the Commission to take the necessary measures to enable persons with disabilities to exercise their full right as a European citizen, without any form of discrimination;

Amendment 36 #

Tatjana ŽDANOKA

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. whereas in some EU Member States stateless persons with long-term residency status are not fully involved in democratic participation and, in particular, are deprived of a right to participate in municipal and/or European elections; whereas the Commission did not come up with the recommendation on approximating equality for stateless minorities e.g. Roma as it was proposed in the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe’;

Amendment 37 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. Encourages Member States to give more space to political education on EU affairs, inter alia on EU citizens’ rights, in their school curricula and to adapt teacher training accordingly; considers that Member States should promote school visits to EU institutions in their educational systems; emphasises that accessible education plays a vital role in informing future citizens;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. whereas access to goods and services, including public services, increasingly requires digital skills;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. whereas the EU has to protect EU citizens residing in the UK, in line with the withdrawal agreement;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 d (new)

— having regard to the European Commission Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities2021-2030,

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)

H b. whereas digital transformation brings opportunities and threats for all generations, especially the elderly. Bearing in mind that technological changes may entail threats for elderly people who do not have adequate knowledge, skills and access to digital technology. Bearing in mind that elderly people are often victims of discrimination, violence, isolation and loneliness, exclusion and limitation of autonomy i. a. by introducing digital solutions that do not take into account the needs of this group of citizens;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)

H c. whereas the elderly people are a committed group of citizens, making an important valuable contribution to society by participating in voluntary activities, social initiatives, and supporting and caring for dependents;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Takes note of the Commission’s report entitled ‘EU Citizenship Report 2020 – Empowering citizens and protecting their rights’ and welcomes the Commission’s continued commitment to uphold the rights of EU citizens; ~~regrets the fact that only 2 out of 18 actions proposed by the Commission are legislative in nature;~~ stresses the need for a comprehensive assessment of the rights of EU citizens and for well- defined and concrete commitments, actions and legislative initiatives for the next three years;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Takes note of the Commission’s report entitled ‘EU Citizenship Report 2020 – Empowering citizens and protecting their rights’ and welcomes the Commission’s continued commitment to uphold the rights of EU citizens, including regular assessment of opportunities and barriers in exercising civil rights by people from disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities and the elderly; regrets the fact that only 2 out of 18 actions proposed by the Commission are legislative in nature; stresses the need for a comprehensive assessment of the rights of EU citizens and for well-defined and concrete commitments, actions and legislative initiatives for the next three years;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Recalls that, in order to ensure that the European Pillar of Social Rights is implemented and that no one is left behind, minimum wages have an important role to play; calls on the Commission and the Member State to ensure that all workers in the EU earn a decent living, which can prevent their marginalisation, decent living conditions being a prerequisite for their full and active participation in our democracies;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Emphasises that an independent judiciary, access to justice, freedom of expression, freedom to access, receive and impart information, and media pluralism are crucial components of the rule of law; calls on the Commission to preserve these core EU values when they are infringed by Member States;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Welcomes the Commission's renewed focus on respect for the rule of law in the Member States and calls on it to move forward with the ongoing Article 7 procedures; points out that strengthening the Union's capacity to promote and uphold the rule of law requires the promotion of a common culture, the prevention of related problems and an effective response; calls on the Commission to step up its efforts to ensure that Member States abolish all forms of legislative discrimination that still apply to persons of different nationalities, as is the case, for example, in Germany in the event of custody of children by parents of different nationalities;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Is concerned about the marginalisation of the homeless people because of the difficult living conditions and of the lack of information they face; calls on the Member States to take measures in order to protect homeless peoples’ lives and rights, as well as to reach out to them with information campaigns about these measures and, thus, to facilitate their inclusion in social and political life and civil society;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Stresses the precarious conditions cross-border and seasonal workers are facing, especially after the COVID-19 crisis; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take action to address the vulnerabilities that cross-border and seasonal migrant workers face in the context of the COVID-19crisis and to ensure the effective application and enforcement of Union law related to labour mobility, social security coordination among Member States and the right to equal pay for1 equal work in the same place; 1https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/T XT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2021:362:FULL&a mp;from=EN

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1 d. Calls the Commission and MS to agree on a basic set of common definitions regarding vulnerable groups, which may include groups such as women, LGBTQI people, migrants and refugees, people from low income households, ethnic or linguistic minorities, and persons with disabilities;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 e (new)

— having regard to Green Paper on Ageing Fostering solidarity and responsibility between generations (COM(2021) 50 final),

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, while being at the core of the European project, the freedom of movement has been severely affected by the ~~unprecedented health crisis brought by the COVID-19 outbreak and the related national emergency measures~~abusive measures taken by governments in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, including travel restrictions and the reintroduction of internal border controls; reiterates that these measures have had a significant negative impact on private lives, work, families and economic and social conditions as evidenced by a large number of petitions; stresses that all national emergency measures should be proportionate to their initial aim of containing the COVID-19 outbreak; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to continue monitoring COVID-19 measures and their effect on EU citizenship rights; urges the Member States to phase out national emergency measures a~~s soon as they are no longer necessary~~nd to stop violating citizens fundamental rights;

Amendment 51 #

Jana TOOM, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, while being at the core of the European project, the freedom of movement has been severely affected by the unprecedented health crisis brought by the COVID-19 outbreak and the related national emergency measures, including travel restrictions and themporary reintroduction of internal border controls; reiterates that these measures have had a significant negative impact on private lives, work, families and economic and social conditions as evidenced by a large number of petitions; stresses that all national emergency measures should be proportionate to their initial aim of containing the COVID-19 outbreak; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to continue monitoring COVID-19 measures and their effect on EU citizenship rights; urges the Member States to phase out national emergency measures as soon as they are no longer necessary; underlines that the COVID -19 pandemic has a negative impact on the well-being and mental health of citizens, especially young people and the elderly;

Amendment 52 #

Francesca DONATO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, while being at the core of the European project, ~~the~~ freedom of movement has been severely affected by the unprecedented health crisis brought by the COVID-19 outbreak and the related national emergency measures, including travel restrictions, the introduction of digital COVID certificates to be able to work or attend university, and the reintroduction of internal border controls; reiterates that these measures have had a significant negative impact on private lives, work, families and economic and social conditions as evidenced by a large number of petitions; stresses that all national emergency measures should be proportionate to their initial aim of containing the COVID-19 outbreak and should never be in breach of fundamental human rights such as the right to work or education; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to continue monitoring COVID-19 measures and their effect on EU citizenship rights and encourages it to take all necessary measures to restore respect for the fundamental rights enshrined also in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; urges the Member States to phase out national emergency measures as soon as they are no longer necessary;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Recalls that the withdrawal of the UK from the EU mostly affected those EU citizens residing in the United Kingdom and those UK nationals residing in one of the 27 EU Member States at the end of the transition period; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the correct implementation of Part Two of the Withdrawal Agreement on citizens’ rights in order to fully and effectively safeguard the rights of those citizens who exercised their freedom of movement before the end of the transition period;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Condemns the usage of the Digital COVID Certificate for any other purposes than for what it was intended, respectively to "facilitate the freedom of movement"; calls the Member States to respect the rights of every citizen and not use the Digital COVID Certificate for other purpose than it was intended in the Regulation; call on the European Commission to make sure that this Certificate is not used at the national level for any other purposes than it was intended in the Regulation;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Notes that people with disabilities face difficulties in exercising their rights to free movement, access to education, employment and cultural goods due to the lack of a mutual recognition mechanism for the status of a person with a disability; calls on the European Commission and the Member States to introduce the EU Disability Card to the fullest extent;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points out that any instruments that interfere with the right to privacy and the protection of personal data must not only have a legal basis, but must also be necessary and proportionate, as required by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Is concerned by the many obstacles that rainbow ~~familie~~households still face when they exercise their right to move to another Member State resulting from differences in national legal rules on the recognition of same-sex couples and of the parent-child relationship; urges the Commission and the Member States to implement the recommendations laid down in its resolution on LGBTIQ rights in the EU, including its call for the Commission to examine whether all Member States comply with the judgment of 5 June 2018 in case C-673/16, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne17 and to include this judgment in the upcoming revision of the guidelines; _________________ 17 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 5 June 2018, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne, C-673/16, EU:C:2018:385.;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Is concerned by the many obstacles that rainbow families still face when they exercise their right to move to another Member State resulting from differences in national legal rules on the recognition of same-sex couples and of the parent-child relationship; urges the Commission and the Member States to implement the recommendations laid down in its resolution on LGBTIQ rights in the EU, including its call for the Commission to examine whether all Member States comply with the judgment of 5 June 2018 in case C-673/16, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne17 and to include this judgment in the upcoming revision of the guidelines; _________________ 17 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 5 June 2018, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne, C-673/16, EU:C:2018:385.;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

Amendment 6 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 f (new)

— having regard to EESC Report on The need to guarantee real rights for persons with disabilities to vote in European Parliament elections,

Amendment 60 #

Jana TOOM

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Is concerned by the many obstacles that rainbow families still face when they exercise their right to move to another Member State resulting from differences in national legal rules on the recognition of same-sex couples and of the parent-child relationship; urges the Commission and the Member States to implement the recommendations laid down in its resolution on LGBTIQ rights in the EU, including its call for the Commission to examine whether all Member States comply with the judgment of 5 June 2018 in case C-673/16, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne17 and to include this judgment in the upcoming revision of the 2009 guidelines on free movement; _________________ 17 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 5 June 2018, Relu Adrian Coman and Others v Inspectoratul General pentru Imigrări and Ministerul Afacerilor Interne, C-673/16, EU:C:2018:385.

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Regrets that the options for redress open to parents and children in the event of separation or divorce are not the same in each Member State, with the result that hundreds of parents in Europe have contacted the Committee on Petitions to support them in their cross-border family disputes and parental child abduction.;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the Member States to introduce systems for monitoring and assessing cases concerning children involved in cross-border custody and family reunification disputes that are non- discriminatory and that fully respect the fundamental rights of the child;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that freedom of movement is not only challenged by major global events; notes with regret that, as revealed by the many petitions received in this field, EU citizens ~~and long-term residents~~ still encounter legal, administrative or practical obstacles when moving to another Member State, in particular as regards social benefits, health insurance and tax regimes, as well as the recognition of professional qualifications; highlights that these obstacles often include discriminatory administrative requirements which only can be fulfilled by citizens, such as possession of a national identity document that is only issued to citizens, or arbitrary requirements for documents which are not usually issued in other Member States; calls on the Commission to investigate discriminatory administrative practices in Member States, in particular at local level;

Amendment 64 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that freedom of movement is not only challenged by major global events; notes with regret that, as revealed by the EU Citizenship Report 2020 and the many petitions received in this field, EU citizens ~~and long-term residents~~ still encounter legal, administrative or practical obstacles when moving to another Member State, in particular as regards social benefits, health, education, insurance and tax regimes, as well as the recognition of professional qualifications; highlights that these obstacles often include discriminatory administrative requirements which only can be fulfilled by citizens, such as possession of a national identity document that is only issued to citizens, or arbitrary requirements for documents which are not usually issued in other Member States; calls on the Commission to investigate discriminatory administrative practices in Member States, in particular at local level;

Amendment 65 #

Jana TOOM

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that freedom of movement is not only challenged by major global events; notes with regret that, as revealed by the many petitions received in this field, EU citizens ~~and~~, long-term residents and family members of EU citizens who are third country nationals still encounter legal, administrative or practical obstacles when moving to another Member State, in particular as regards residence procedures, social benefits, health insurance and tax regimes, as well as the recognition of professional qualifications; highlights that these obstacles often include discriminatory administrative requirements which only can be fulfilled by citizens, such as possession of a national identity document that is only issued to citizens, or arbitrary requirements for documents which are not usually issued in other Member States; ~~calls on the Commission to investigate discriminatory administrative practices in Member States, in particular at local level~~stresses that these obstacles often result from the lack of a clear definition of certain concepts in Directive 2004/38/EC, such as "comprehensive sickness insurance" and "sufficient resources"; calls on the Commission to investigate discriminatory administrative practices in Member States, in particular at local level, take the necessary enforcement actions against such practices and to provide clarifications of the respective unclear concepts in Directive 2004/38/EC in its revised guidelines;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Recalls that freedom of movement is not only challenged by major global events; notes with regret that, as revealed by the many petitions received in this field, EU citizens and long-term residents still encounter legal, administrative or practical obstacles when moving to another Member State, in particular as regards social benefits, health, education, insurance and tax regimes, as well as the recognition of professional qualifications; highlights that these obstacles often include discriminatory administrative requirements which only can be fulfilled by citizens, such as possession of a national identity document that is only issued to citizens, or arbitrary requirements for documents which are not usually issued in other Member States; calls on the Commission to investigate discriminatory administrative practices in Member States, in particular at local level;

Amendment 67 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Regrets the existence of cross- border obstacles in civil or social matters, such as family law or pensions, that prevent many citizens from enjoying full EU citizenship;

Amendment 68 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4 b. Calls on the Member States to put in place coordination and cooperation measures in order to efficiently tackle the issues of double taxation in car registration, tax discrimination and double taxation in any cross-border context and to take better account of the realities of cross-border worker mobility; considers that double taxation issues are insufficiently addressed through existing bilateral tax conventions or unilateral action by a Member State and would need concerted, timely action at EU level;

Amendment 69 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4 c. Calls for the adoption of an effective legislative framework and coordination measures at EU and Member States level to ensure high levels of social protection and equitable, properly paid jobs; considers this approach to be vital in order to empowering citizens and protecting their rights arising from EU Citizenship;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8

— having regard to the results of the Commission’s public consultation on EU citizenship rights 2020, and to the results of the Flash Eurobarometer 485 survey on European Union Citizenship and Democracy published in July 2020, which show that during the COVID-19 pandemic many EU citizens have encountered difficulties in accessing health care support, child care support, information about the border situation, etc,

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that statelessness is a barrier to enjoying EU citizenship rights; regrets the lack of rights conferred through EU long-term resident status and the possibility for Member States to impose limits on free movement; is deeply concerned that only EU citizens are protected from discrimination under the acquis; stresses that as a result, stateless persons with long-term residency status cannot enjoy free movement of persons or services, are not covered by Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas18 (the Visa Code), and do not enjoy rights equal to those in, for example, Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility19 (the Brussels IIa Regulation); calls on the Commission to revise Council Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents20 and to introduce opportunities to approximate EU long-term resident status to EU citizen status; _________________ 18 OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1. 19 OJ L 338, 23.12.2003, p. 1. 20 OJ L 16, 23.1.2004, p. 44.deleted

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that statelessness is a barrier to enjoying EU citizenship rights; regrets the lack of rights conferred through EU long-term resident status and the possibility for Member States to impose limits on free movement; is deeply concerned that only EU citizens are protected from discrimination under the acquis; stresses that as a result, stateless persons with long-term residency statustresses that stateless persons cannot enjoy free movement of persons or services, are not covered by Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas18 (the Visa Code), and do not enjoy rights equal to those in, for example, Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility19 (the Brussels IIa Regulation); calls on the Commission to revise Council Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents20 and to introduce opportunities to approximate EU long-term resident status to EU citizen status; _________________ 18 OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1. 19 OJ L 338, 23.12.2003, p. 1. ~~20 OJ L 16, 23.1.2004, p. 44.~~

Amendment 72 #

Tatjana ŽDANOKA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that statelessness is a barrier to enjoying EU citizenship rights; regrets the lack of rights conferred through EU long-term resident status and the possibility for Member States to impose limits on free movement; is deeply concerned that only EU citizens are protected from discrimination under the acquis; stresses that as a result, stateless persons with long-term residency status cannot enjoy free movement of persons or services, are not covered by Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas18 (the Visa Code), and do not enjoy rights equal to those in, for example, Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility19 (the Brussels IIa Regulation); calls on the Commission to revise Council Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents20 and, as a priority, concerning the status of recognised refugees and stateless persons and other persons who do not hold the nationality of any country, who reside in a Member State and who are holders of a travel document issued by that Member State, and to introduce opportunities to approximate EU long-term resident status to EU citizen status, in particular, as regards the right to participate in municipal and European elections; _________________ 18 OJ L 243, 15.9.2009, p. 1. 19 OJ L 338, 23.12.2003, p. 1. 20 OJ L 16, 23.1.2004, p. 44.

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes the announcement of the Commission to review the rules on consular protection; ~~urg~~invites the European Commission to ensure assistance for EU citizens of unrepresented Member States; stresses that Member States also issue travel documents to persons who are not their citizens such as stateless persons; deplores the fact that consular protection is in sominclude in this review an assessment of the accessibility of consular protection for persons with various types of disabilities; urges the Commission to ensure cas~~es only guaranteed to citizens and leaves stateless persons completely unprotec~~sistance for EU citizens of unrepresented Member Stateds; urges the Commission and the Member States to include the right to consular protection for persons who are issued a travel document by a Member State even if they are not a citizen of that state;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes the announcement of the Commission to review the rules on consular protection; urges the Commission to ensure assistance for EU citizens of unrepresented Member States; stresses that Member States also issue travel documents to persons who are not their citizens such as stateless persons; ~~deplores the fact that consular protection is in some cases only guaranteed to citizens and leaves stateless persons completely unprotected;~~ urges the Commission and the Member States to include the right to consular protection for persons who are issued a travel document by a Member State even if they are not a citizen of that state;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes the announcement of the Commission to review the rules on consular protection; urges the Commission to ensure assistance for EU citizens ~~of unrepresented Member States~~; stresses that Member States also issue travel documents to persons who are not their citizens such as stateless persons; deplores the fact that consular protection is in some cases only guaranteed to citizens and leaves stateless persons completely unprotected; urges the Commission and the Member States to include the right to consular protection for persons who are issued a travel document by a Member State even if they are not a citizen of that state;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Welcomes the declaration of the European Commission to work with Member States and the European Parliament to guarantee political rights of persons with disabilities on equal basis with others and in particular to ensure that this right is enjoyed in the next European Parliament elections;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Welcomes~~Takes note of the Commission’s intention, announced in its EU Citizenship Report 2020, to update the directives on the voting rights of mobile EU citizens in municipal and European elections (Council Directives 94/80/EC and 93/109/EC); stresses, in this regard, the urgency of removing all barriers and difficulties which hinder the exercise of voting rights~~, including~~ by persons with disabilities, increasing and facilitating the provision of information on European elections and voting procedures (possibly through a single EU-wide information platform), and exploring and implementing remote voting options, including electronic voting, in order to increase and facilitate democratic participation;

Amendment 78 #

Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Jana TOOM

7. Welcomes the Commission’s intention, announced in its EU Citizenship Report 2020, to update the directives on the voting rights of mobile EU citizens in municipal and European elections (Council Directives 94/80/EC and 93/109/EC); stresses, in this regard, the urgency of removing all barriers and difficulties which hinder the exercise of voting rights, including by persons with disabilities, increasing and facilitating the provision of information on European elections and voting procedures (possibly through a fully accessible, single EU-wide information platform), and exploring and implementing remote voting options, including electronic voting, in order to increase and facilitate democratic participation. Recalls that in some Member States people with disabilities being under various protective measures (like guardianship) are automatically excluded from political participation and thus denied the right to vote. Stresses the need to move away from this drastic solution in favour of supporting people with disabilities in selected areas of life; calls on the European Commission to promote and disseminate good practices in this field;

Amendment 79 #

Jana TOOM

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the Commission’s intention, announced in its EU Citizenship Report 2020, to update the directives on the voting rights of mobile EU citizens in municipal and European elections (Council Directives 94/80/EC and 93/109/EC); stresses, in this regard, the urgency of removing all barriers and difficulties which hinder the exercise of voting rights by mobile EU citizens, including by persons with disabilities, increasing and facilitating the provision of information on municipal and European elections and voting procedures (possibly through a single EU- wide information platform), encouraging Member States, in particular at local level, to facilitate the exercise of voting rights of mobile EU citizens, and exploring and implementing remote voting options, including electronic voting, in order to increase and facilitate democratic participation;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)

— having regard to its resolution of 12 February 2019 on the implementation of the Treaty provisions related to EU citizenship (2018/2111(INI)),

Amendment 80 #

Tatjana ŽDANOKA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Welcomes the Commission’s intention, announced in its EU Citizenship Report 2020, to update the directives on the voting rights of mobile EU citizens in municipal and European elections (Council Directives 94/80/EC and 93/109/EC); stresses, in this regard, the urgency of removing all barriers and difficulties which hinder the exercise of voting rights, including by persons with disabilities, increasing and facilitating the provision of information on European elections and voting procedures (possibly through a single EU-wide information platform), and exploring and implementing remote voting options, including electronic voting, in order to increase and facilitate democratic participation; calls on the European Commission to propose measures to increase the participation of people with racial or ethnic minority background in elections;

Amendment 81 #

Jana TOOM, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Stresses the need for comprehensive data on underrepresented categories of voters and calls on the Commission and the Member States to exchange and promote within the European Cooperation Network on Elections best practices on how to address the specific electoral needs of disadvantaged groups of citizens in order to ensure that they are empowered to effectively exercise their voting rights in the next European elections;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Recalls, furthermore, that the electoral rights of EU citizens living abroad is frequently the subject matter of petitions; is concerned that several Member States deprive their citizens of their right to vote in national parliamentary elections once they move to another EU country; believes that the disenfranchisement of EU citizens on the grounds of their residence abroad, along with the non-recognition of their right to vote in national elections in the country of residence, hinders the freedom of movement and results in the denial of the fundamental right to political participation; highlights that several Member States have disenfranchised long-term residents from local and European elections, while others have made political party membership subject to nationality; calls on the Commission to explore legal avenues to make the Member States concerned abolish disenfranchisement rules;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Recalls, furthermore, that the electoral rights of EU citizens living abroad is frequently the subject matter of petitions; ~~is concerned~~notes that several Member States deprive their citizens of their right to vote in national parliamentary elections once they move to another EU country; believes that the disenfranchisement of EU citizens on the grounds of their residence abroad, along with the non-recognition of their right to vote in national elections in the country of residence, might hinders the freedom of movement and might results in the denial of the fundamental right to political participation; highlights that several Member States have disenfranchised long-term residents from local and European elections, while others have made political party membership subject to nationality; calls on the Commission to explore legal avenues to make the Member States concerned abolish disenfranchisement rulewhich are citizens of another EU Member State from local and European elections;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Recalls, furthermore, that the electoral rights of EU citizens living abroad is frequently the subject matter of petitions; is concerned that several Member States ~~deprive~~set barriers to their citizens ~~of their~~' right to vote in national parliamentary elections once they move to another EU country; believes that the disenfranchisement of EU citizens on the grounds of their residence abroad, along with the non-recognition of their right to vote in national elections in the country of residence, hinders the freedom of movement and results in the denial of the fundamental right to political participation; highlights that several Member States have disenfranchised long- term residents from local and European elections, while others have made political party membership subject to nationality; ~~calls on the Commission to explore legal avenues to make the Member States concerned abolish disenfranchisement rules;~~

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Emphasizes that over 60% of the respondents participating in the public consultation on the 2020 European Citizenship Report thought that not enough is being done to inform citizens about their EU citizens rights, calls on the EC and the Member States to promote the knowledge on this subject, in formats friendly and accessible to recipients of all age groups and all types of disabilities;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Acknowledges that the current set- up of the EU participatory framework may leave people doubtful about which channel is more suited to their needs and thus deter them from using the available tools to communicate with the EU institutions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put in place the appropriate instruments to ensure that EU citizens and residents are fully informed about their right to submit petitions to the European Parliament and their right of recourse to the Ombudsman as a means of upholding their rights and reporting any violations, in accordance with Article 44 of the Charter and Article 227 of the TFEU;

Amendment 87 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Sylvie GUILLAUME

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Stresses the importance of having country-level websites explaining EU citizens their rights and how to get in contact with their European elected officials and monitor their votes and decisions;

Amendment 88 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Suggests the promotion of common rules when granting EU Citizenship, where the same rules should apply in all Member States;

Amendment 89 #

Demetris PAPADAKIS, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Sven MIKSER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls for the establishment of an online one-stop-shop in all 24 EU official languages centralising all EU participatory instruments, providing information, advice and support on engaging with the EU, thereby helping users to identify and use the most appropriate channel, in order to bringing the citizens closer to the EU and by strengthening their democratic participation; trusts that such a one- stop- shop would streamline the use of the different participatory instruments while fully unlocking their potential;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)

— having regard to the judgement of the Court in Case C-135/08 Rottmann [2010] and in particular paragraph 39 emphasising the competence of Member States in relation to acquisition and loss of nationality,

Amendment 90 #

Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Jana TOOM

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls for the establishment of an online one-stop-shop centralising all EU participatory instruments, providing information, advice and support, in formats accessible to people with different types of disabilities, on engaging with the EU, thereby helping users to identify and use the most appropriate channel; trusts that such a one- stop-shop would streamline the use of the different participatory instruments while fully unlocking their potential;

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Underlines that the final objective of this exercise, following the procedure of Article 25 TFEU, would be to take concrete initiatives towards the consolidation of citizen-specific rights and freedoms under an EU Statute of Citizenship, similar to the European Pillar of Social Rights, including the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, alongside the social rights set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights and the values established by Article 2 of the TEU as defining elements of the European ‘public space’, including among others the governance model relevant to that public space, dignity, freedom, the rule of law, democracy, pluralism, tolerance, justice and solidarity, equality and non- discrimination, which would be taken into account in a future or eventual reform of the Treaties;

Amendment 92 #

Jana TOOM, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Recalls its support for the Conference on the Future of Europe; strongly believes that the Conference is an opportunity for bottom-up participation in the EU democratic process; reiterates its call for the Conference to produce concrete recommendations that will need to be addressed by the institutions and turned into actions; calls on all participants to the Conference to ensure a genuine follow-up of the outcome of the Conference;

Amendment 93 #