The National Union of County Councils of Romania (UNCJR) marked Europe Day with an event at its headquarters in Bucharest, part of the international project "European Local Citizens" funded by CERV.
The event included a panel discussion on the rights and obligations of European citizens, the formation of the EU, and its impact on local public authorities, including online discussions with the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ), our project partners.
The meeting was opened by the General Director of UNCJR, Sorin Munteanu, who presented details to the attendees, representatives of ministries, central institutions, and academic staff, about the importance of celebrating Europe Day and the Treaty of Maastricht, the central theme of the "European Local Citizens" project.
University lecturer Dr. Alina-Mihaela Conea discussed the shaping of the European Union as we know it today and the deliberate choice of May 9th as Europe Day, as well as the essence of European citizenship according to the Maastricht Treaty, and also about ius doni and "effective link". Robert Schuman's declaration on May 9, 1950, is considered a defining moment in the European integration process and is commemorated annually as Europe Day.
Additionally, the essence of European citizenship consists of creating a common European identity, which, according to the Lisbon Treaty, states that "EU citizenship does not replace national citizenship but adds to it," with over 200 judgments of the European Court of Justice in this regard. An interesting example presented by Dr. Conea is the case of a British lady who wanted to become a teacher in Germany but was denied participation in the competition because in Germany, teachers are considered civil servants, and the Maastricht Treaty states that discrimination can be made between citizens of other states concerning public administration. To prevent EU citizens from facing similar situations, the term "public worker" began to be used because there is a link between the worker and the host country's society, not just the labor market. Additionally, the concept of ius doni applies in the context of European citizenship, meaning that member states have an obligation to respect and protect the rights of EU citizens, regardless of their nationality.
Furthermore, professor dr. Ion Diaconu, ambassador (p), explained that being a citizen of the European Union comes with specific rights outlined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which is the legal basis for the rights and responsibilities of European citizens. The Charter classified fundamental rights under several headings such as:
-"Dignity", which includes the right to life, prohibition of torture, slavery, or the right to integrity etc.;
-"Freedom", where we find the right to liberty and security of the person, protection of personal data, freedom of expression, and thought;
-"Equality," which insists on the prohibition of any discrimination based on sex, race, religion, thought, and conscience;
-"Solidarity," in this context, we have many human rights, especially working conditions, family and professional life, health protection; "Rights of citizens" where we find, first of all, a set of electoral rights, the right to vote and to stand for the European Parliament, the right to choose and to be elected in local elections, the right to access documents, freedom of movement and residence, but also diplomatic and consular protection. It must be mentioned that there is an exception regarding local voting rules, in areas where the majority of voters are foreign, only the votes of those who have the national citizenship of the state are taken into account, as is the case in Luxembourg, which faces the issue of migration.
Along with these rights come important responsibilities, including respecting EU laws and norms, actively participating in the Union's democratic process, and promoting European values of solidarity, tolerance, and mutual respect. It should be noted that at the EU level, there are few regulations referring to the obligations of European citizens towards the Union compared to their rights.
The event concluded with an online panel discussion with partners from the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities, discussing the rights of European citizens, emphasizing the importance of respect and responsibilities associated with European citizenship. The discussion highlighted the need for collaboration and solidarity among member states to overcome challenges and strengthen Europe in a more united and powerful manner.
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