Documenting the discourse around European Citizenship is the ambition of this resulting publication, a direct outcome of the working conference. It brings together previous thinking and writing with current questions and ideas. While it can be read in sequence, it is also intended to function as a reference document. Readers who are unfamiliar with the concept of European Citizenship—in general or in the context of the Youth in Action Programme—may find it useful to start with a glance at the educational framework and project characteristics.

The diversity of programme stakeholders who contributed to the conference and this publication—trainers, organisers and researchers, national agencies and youth councils, organisations and institutions, programme users and support centres—has been a strong ‘hands on!’–support in developing this handbook.

We are looking forward to your feedback and hope you will enjoy the read!

Download the publication “Hands on European Citizenship” — pdf, 2.5 MB

Image credits: Lilia Obletsova at www.youthmedia.eu, Creative Commons License

Originally published by Pietro De Matteis on taurillon.org

Currently the details are not yet defined and the Commission is asking the opinion of citizens and other stakeholders. This is a great opportunity to fill that notorious “Democratic Deficit” and these “Citizens’ initiatives” might make a significant effect on the development of a European public sphere.

In the Green Paper, which comes together with the public consultation, there are a few key issues which are addressed, namely:

• Minimum number of Member States from which citizens must come
• Minimum number of signatures per Member State
• Eligibility to support a citizens’ initiative – minimum age
• Form and wording of a citizens’ initiative
• Requirements for the collection, verification and authentication of signatures
• Time limit for the collection of signatures
• Registration of proposed initiatives
• Requirements for organisers – Transparency and funding
• Examination of citizens’ initiatives by the Commission
• Initiatives on the same issue

In this article I will focus only on the first point which I believe is one of the most sensitive.

The debate about the number of Member States from which the participants should come from is in fact of key importance. In the Green Paper two elements are considered somehow in opposition: accessibility, namely the level of difficulty that the citizens would need to face in order to make a proposal to the Commission and the representation, meaning the actual number of Member States from which the signatories should be coming from. It is expected that the higher is the minimum number of Member States from which the signatories should come from, the more challenging the process will be for the citizen. In the Green Paper the question is presented with the following wording: “Do you consider that one third of the total number of Member States would constitute a “significant number of Member States” as required by the Treaty? If not, what threshold would you consider appropriate, and why?”

To answer this question it is important to consider the current status of EU public sphere: the EU in fact, even following the reforms bring about by the Lisbon treaty, will continue to be affected by a strong prejudice (in part understandable) of democratic illegitimacy. This can be partially explained by the fact that the different Member States articulate differently their vision of citizen’s participation in the legislative process.

Such an ex-ante belief need to be tackled urgently. However as no further reform is expected to take place in the near future, it is of key importance to make the “Citizens’ Initiative” a tool to bridge that gap between the institutions and the people. The “Citizens’ Initiative” in this sense has two key roles:

• A stated role of proposal to the European Commission of new legislative actions, and
• An equally important opportunity for citizens of various European countries to cooperate articulating their interests at European Level.

Having highlighted this, we can now better evaluate the discussion over the trade-offs between representation and accessibility mentioned in the Green Paper.

Representation: the fact that the signatures come from 7-8-9-10 or even more member states will not change the fact that the Initiative is set not to represent the totality of the European Citizens. Even in the case that the signatures come from 10 MS, these could hypothetically belong only to a particular region of the Union with specific interests (e.g. the 8+2 “new” member states: 10 new member states minus Cyprus and Malta plus Bulgaria and Romania) and be concerning a specific interest of that region (e.g. rights of Russian speaking communities).

On the other hand having the signatures to be collected from such an high number of Member States could be very challenging for the citizens.

However if we look at the purpose of the “Citizens’ Initiative” in the current institutional framework, it is fair to say thatsuch a requirement is redundant. The purpose of this Initiative in fact is simply to propose to the Commission to take action on a specific issue. It will be up to the Commission to evaluate it and present an action which is balanced for the whole of the EU and later it will be up to the Parliament and to the Council, representing respectively the totality of the EU citizens and the Member States, to agree on a text which is fair and applicable for all.

In other words it is not necessary and arguably unfair, to transfer the totality of the legislative responsibility from the EU Institutions to the citizens by asking them to collect signatures from a very high number of countries. In addition this might translate into having only certain groups or lobbies able to profit from the “Citizens’ Initiative” while leaving common citizens with limited economic resources out of the initiative process.

Why accessibility is key: as mentioned above the proposals made by the citizens will need to go through the EU legislative process, so the purpose of the “Citizens’ Initiative” should be to engage as many citizens as possible which can only be done by limiting the difficulties and requirements (the main being the minimum number of Member States). This for the following reasons:

• The Citizens’ Initiative can help building a European-wide debate on issues which are of concern for the EU citizens;
• Can boost an exchange of views and cooperation between the members of the civil societies of the various Member States without discriminating the one with limited economic resources;
• Can help articulating citizens’ interests in the framework of European Regions which tend to have similar concerns and needs;
• Can increase the legislative competence and legitimacy of the European Commission,

All these elements would have the result of reducing the existing Democratic Deficit and would give to the EU citizens the perception that their voice is heard.

For all the issues raised above, I believe that the minimum number of Member States from which citizens must come from should be very low, potentially from 3 to 5.

This will not impede to have citizens from more Member States to participate, which is likely to happen due to the high number of signatures to collect (one million). It is also likely that there will be a proportionately higher number nationalities represented as far as more “least populated” Member States are involved (due to the fact that their contribution towards the target of reaching 1 million signatures might be limited). This will also imply that the most populated member states are likely to be included in the majority of the future “Citizens’ Initiatives” being a key “source” of signatures.

In order to have more information on the public consultation and give your opinion you can check the website, there is time until January 31st.

» Ten observations on the outcome of the 2009 European elections

They cover much ground — from the low turnout to the composition of the new parliament, from the losses of left-wing parties to the emergence of a stronger anti-EU far right — and while much of what the FEPS-team has to say may be disputable, it is certainly worthwhile a read.

To add some additional perspective, here is, first,

» Europe has voted | Overview of media reactions by euro|topics

and second, a few thoughts on the elections from the European blogosphere:

• Reflections by Stanley Crossick | Blogactiv
• What the European election results reveal | The Euros
• Two mainstream majorities | Grahnlaw
• Analysis by Conor Slowey | The European Citizen
• Julien Frisch turns EU-sceptic | Watching Europe
• Thoughts on the results | Jon Worth
• Ugly but interesting in Strasbourg | Financial Times Blog
• Eurosceptic triumphant | BBC Europe Blog
• What do the election results reflect? | Open Europe Blog
• Record abstentions | Charlemagne’s notebook
• Reflections on election week | A view from the outfield
• What did the low turnout change? | New Europe
• Improving voter turnout in the European Elections | Th!nk about it

Third, a link to a quick glance outlining the results, a link to a cool interactive flash illustration by the BBC on the seats in the new EP, as well as a link to

» The detailed election results

on a site maintained by TNS Opinion for the European Parliament.

And — last but not least — a graphic of the seat distribution, courtesy of euro|topics:

Consequently, the Council of Europe is celebrating its sixty years of history in 2009, and in remembrance of the treaty — which was signed on May 5, 1949 in London by the Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the French Republic, the Irish Republic, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — a commemorative event was held on May 5, 2009 at Lancaster House in London.

The reception not only featured the host David Miliband — Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs holding one of the four ‘Great Offices of State’ — and the Chair of the UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe — John Prescott — and Terry Davis — the Council of Europe’s Secretary General — but also all our training course participants!

The day before the gathering at Lancaster House, the Secretary General joined the training course for a memorable session on European identity and what it means to be a European. When asked to describe moments in which he felt European, Terry Davis remembered historical moments that also held a strong personal meaning, in particular the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and the Prague Spring of 1968. Every participant appreciated the opportunity to listen to these experiences — connected with strong emotions and much before their time — as much as to share their own associations in a remarkably afternoon that brought to life the past sixty years of Europe and its people.

Thanks to the effort of many colleagues at the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the National Archives, all participants were presented with a copy of the original “Treaty of London”.

Many more insights await the curious among you at the interactive website accompanying the NEF’s report “National Accounts of Well-being: bringing real wealth onto the balance sheet.”

Trust and belonging is one of the indicators for social well-being. It measures experiences of trusting other people, being treated fairly and respectfully, and feeling a sense of belonging with and support from people in your community.

NEF was created in 1986 by the leaders of The Other Economic Summit (TOES) — among others Ed Mayo — and describes itself as an independent think-and-do tank. In 2006, the foundation introduced the Happy Planet Index, an index of human well-being and environmental impact, as an alternative to measuring development and success, which is commonly expressed through the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or the Human Development Index (HDI).

Following the success of the Follow-up Seminar on European Citizenship in November 2007, the Partnership and several National Agencies have set up a strategy to support former participants of the European Citizenship training courses to become active multipliers and remain motivated and informed.

From the follow-up seminar:

Report | More Info

Publication » What should European Citizenship in youth work look like?

This very platform is one element of the strategy, but there is also some additional support from follow-up trainers available to help former participants to integrate European Citizenship elements in their daily youth work and projects.

So if you are a former participant in one of the European Citizenship Training Courses in 2007 and 2008, and if you have any question regarding European Citizenship in youth work, training, or policy — don’t hesitate to get in touch!

For each EC TC, one follow-up trainer is in charge of helping you — if needed and wanted — to go through the first difficulties when implementing European citizenship projects or integrating European Citizenship in youth work.

01 — EC-UK (United Kingdom, October 2007): contact Erzsebet
02 — EC-TR (Turkey, November 2007): contact Paola
03 — EC-DK (Denmark, November 2007): contact Elena
04 — EC-HU (Hungary, December 2007): contact Erzsebet
05 — EC-PL (Poland, January 2008): contact Elena
06 — EC-IT (Italy, February 2008): contact Xavier
07 — EC-DE (Germany, April 2008): contact Xavier
08 — EC-FR (France, September 2008): contact Xavier
09 — EC-IS (Iceland, October 2008): contact Erzsebet
10 — EC-BE (Belgium-Flanders, March 2009): contact Paola
11 — EC-RO (Romania, April 2009): contact Nuno
12 — EC-UK (United Kingdom, May 2009): contact Erzsebet

So you are a veteran, you say, from any of the many previous trainings?

No problem, drop us a line anyway and we’ll see what we can do!

Here is how they describe their own philosophy:

«Whenever European culture is discussed today, its diversity is evoked with near euphoria. The true challenge is to take diversity seriously and make room for new perspectives — whether in word or thought. Only a rich and free- wheeling dialogue has the potential to forge a common identity and put it to the proof.»

Among the many different articles on Eurozine, there are some that are particularly relevant for the discourses around European citizenship.

Here is a small selection of articles — enjoy reading!

Who’s afraid of Europe? by Slavenka Drakulic

Slavenka Drakulic, a committed European, expresses doubts in the continuing momentum of European integration amidst rising anxieties about a loss of national identity. Mirrored in the success of right-wing and populist parties across Europe and concerns being voiced in the post-communist countries queuing for “entry” as well, this anxiety, however, focuses on a cultural construct, the author argues. To make the project Europe work, a new kind of imagined community will need to be created – is Europe ready for that?

Who are the citizens of Europe? by Rainer Bauböck

Current citizenship laws in the European Union vary dramatically. The tension between freedom of movement and national self-determination of citizenship within the EU has the potential to create serious conflicts in the future, writes Rainer Bauböck. Taking European citizenship seriously means a shared understanding of who the future citizens of Europe are to be.

Citizenship as a learning process by Gerard Delanty

In the dominant liberal discourse on citizenship, learning processes have tended to be reduced to citizenship classes and formal membership of the polity. In an article first published in 2003, Gerard Delanty contrasts this type of “disciplinary citizenship” with a notion of “cultural citizenship”. Delanty develops the notion of cultural citizenship in terms of learning processes at both the individual and collective levels; such processes, rather than merely demanding cognitive competence, have a developmental and transformative impact on the learning subject.

Mobile citizenship? by Ivaylo Ditchev

Approaches to migration often fall into one of two camps: anti-neoliberal hostility or euphoria at “flows”. Yet the “new mobility” implies new freedoms as well as new privations. Researching the biographies of Bulgarian migrants, Ivaylo Ditchev finds that the horizon of departure has become a basic dimension of the world. Mobility, he writes, will need to be taken more seriously in the anthropology of citizenship.

Elusive Common Dreams by Ales Debeljak

Western Europe lives like an isolated family without any feelings for the post-communist states on the same continent, says the Slovene poet and essayist Ales Debeljak. He explores the perils and hopes of a European Identity and tries to formulate a defense for a broader conception of Europe and seeks a European “master narrative” that makes the creation of a real European identity possible.

All images in this post are from the Eurozine Gallery about suprealist Leonhard Lapin, an Estonian artist and architect.

Since 2001, the EU-COE Youth Partnership developed and implemented training courses and training modules on European Citizenship.

As of 2006, these courses are hosted and co-financed by the National Agencies for the Youth in Action Programme, jointly co-ordinated by the Youth Partnership and the SALTO Training and Co-operation Resource Centre.

If you are interested – why not go ahead and
have a glimpse at the history of the courses!

Following the success of the training courses in 2007 and 2008, a new series of six European Citizenship Training Courses is going to be implemented from September 2008 to May 2009.

1 — France | 2 — Iceland | 3 — Spain
4 — Belgium | 5 — Romania | 6 — United Kingdom

A little further below we re-publish aims, objectives and target group, but first the immediate information of where and how to apply. This depends on your country of residence — in the language of the «Youth in Action» programme the main distinction is made between programme countries and neighbouring partner countries.

As a citizen of a nieghbouring country (South Eastern Europe, East Europe and Caucasus), apply via the website of the partnership. The deadline is June 30, 2008.

As a citizen of a programme country (if you are not sure, check here whether a national agency exists in your country), apply via the website of SALTO. Please keep in mind that deadlines do vary from course to course!

Good luck should you apply — and see you soon!

Here is the aim of these trainings:

The series of network training courses on European Citizenship aims to support the professional development of youth workers and youth leaders by extending their critical understanding of European Citizenship, exploring and experiencing its potential and by enabling them to recognise and integrate European Citizenship in their youth work.

The objectives of the trainings are:

• To critically explore the meaning relevance and implications European citizenship in youth work in all its dimensions;
• To promote and facilitate the active use of programmes and structures in support of youth work on European Citizenship, including the Youth in Action programme;
• To experiment and explore the potential of European Citizenship for active democratic change in society;
• To associate the participants with the current discourse on European Citizenship (its concepts, formal meanings and expressions);
• To exemplify the connection between European Citizenship, Human Rights, Democracy and ICL and the underlying values.

The trainings are organised for interested persons who:

• have experience in developing and managing directly a project with and for young people;
• have organised or co-organised at least one youth project with an international dimension;
• are committed and motivated to work directly with young people on issues related to European Citizenship;
• are supported by their organisation in their current and future work;
• have a general knowledge and understanding of youth and youth work realities in their contexts;
• are motivated to undergo training and able to attend the course for its full duration;
• are able to work in English, and
• are resident in a member state of the Council of Europe or in another country signatory to the European Cultural Convention.

Curious? Why not apply yourself?

The Slovenian EU Presidency has pushed some things forward in relation to young people, youth policy and intercultural dialogue that are noteworthy for everyone dealing with European Citizenship.

The promotion of dialogue between cultures, beliefs and traditions in the context of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue is one of the main five programmatic priorities of the Slovenian EU Presidency; and Youth policy is part of the policy field Education, Culture and Youth, one of 10 policy areas the presidency has concentrated on.

«The voice of young people must not only be heard but also taken properly into consideration,»

said Zorko Škvor, the Slovenian Director-General for Youth, during a meeting with his 27 EU colleagues following the presidency’s youth event entitled

Promoting the Participation of Young People
with Fewer Opportunities in Society.

As reported here (for example), all actors in the youth policy field call for a fundamental change in youth policies, finally beginning to address the increasing poverty and unemployment of young people. According to the Slovenian presidency, youth unemployment has risen to more than 38% — that is 4.7 million young people without a job (source).

There is a summary of the youth event’s main conclusions here, the final declaration is online here and available as a document as well. The conclusions of the working groups can be found here (pdf), and a press release is here.

It goes without saying that the youth event has its own website, too, highlighting the aim to be the provision of

• a valuable opportunity for young people to meet and discuss the need to promote the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in the society

and pointing out the objectives of the youth event, namely

• to draw attention to the key challenges of the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in the society,
• to enrich structural dialogue with the European and national authorities responsible for youth,
• to develop conclusions which represent ideas, solutions and lines of action to ensure the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in the society, and
• to look at the role young people can have in the intercultural dialogue and to develop a contribution to the implementation of the European Year of Intercultural dialogue.

Quite excitingly, Orange — the event magazine of the European Youth Press — reported from the youth event, covering the different discussions around young people with fewer opportunities in relation to mobility, employment, non-formal education, integration and intercultural dialogue.

You are most welcome to read the articles and enjoy the gallery.

Need a little teaser? Here you go:

Head on over!

Last but not least we want to share with you that on 21 April 2008, five Members of the European Parliament tabled — following an initiative of the European Youth Forum — a written declaration

More youthful EU policies!

calling on the European Commission to take young people into account when developing policies that affect them, and to ensure that the main policy areas that affect young people are taken up in the dialogue between youth organisations and the European institutions.

More information on the declaration is available here.

All photos taken by Thomas Alboth and copyright Orangelog.

Hello everyone!

We are really glad that you are here — and we are really excited about the possibility for you to finally be here! At long last, this platform on European Citizenship has arrived… And while much remains to be done, it’s not so bad is it?

Thanks for coming by!

» A new platform around European Citizenship

Where does this come from?

The topic of European Citizenship has gained a high political importance in the youth policies and programmes of both the Council of Europe and the European Commission over the past years. Given the growing importance of this topic for both partner institutions, the Partnership on Youth has developed a large number of training activities, publications and research activities in the field of European Citizenship.

The flagship activities in this field are of course the training courses on European Citizenship — and over the years, hundreds of youth professionals took part in different pilot courses, modules and network trainings.

It was about time for a platform around all this activity, don’t you agree?

The aim of this website

Through this portal, the institutions and their partners would like to offer a central point of information, exchange, feedback, and reflection to former and future participants of trainings on European Citizenship as well as social workers, NGO activists, researchers, policy makers and citizens.

The forces behind this website

This website on «European Citizenship» is a joint initiative of the Partnership on Youth, Salto, Connect Youth and Frankly Speaking. You can read more about the partners here.

While they have provided the financial, administrative and technological incentive, support and expertise for this portal to come about, the contents of this website comes from many different groups, courses, experiences and people, including you.

How to use this website

Well, who would be better able to decide that than yourself? We hope to have organised the information on this website in self-explanatory and easy-to-navigate ways. We will continue to add information, to stay up-to-date with recent developments and discussions.

There are two easy ways to stay up-to-date: you can use the RSS feed — and your feedreader of choice will notify you automatically about new contents on the site — or you can subscribe by email to receive notifications about additions and changes directly into your inbox.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch. We appreciate your ideas and suggestions!