The Council adopted the conclusions concerning
the 2013 EU Citizenship Report.
The Council noted gaps between the applicable legal
rules and the reality confronting citizens in their daily lives,
particularly in cross-border situations. Moreover, taking account
of the fact that the year 2013 is the European Year of Citizens and
that the European elections will be held in 2014, the Council
highlighted the importance of raising awareness about their
electoral rights in these elections and about the relevance of
their participation as voters and as candidates.
Whilst welcoming the EU Citizenship Report 2013, the
Council noted with particular interest the proposed measures aiming
at:
(1) Removing obstacles for workers, students and
trainees in the EU: the Council
stressed the need to tackle unemployment and the social
consequences of the crisis. It endorsed a comprehensive
approach to combat youth unemployment.
More specifically, the Council:
- stated that it will carefully examine the Commission's
forthcoming proposal on a revision of the social security
coordination regulation which has the objective of encouraging
and facilitating intra-EU mobility;
- shall support the ongoing development by the
Commission of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security
Information System (EESSI);
- recalled the establishment of the Alliance for
Apprenticeships as well as the invitation to the Commission to
finalise the quality framework for traineeships, and to
propose the new EURES regulation;
- welcomed measures to improve the coordination of
labour mobility in the EU, and to facilitate the exchange of
information on job opportunities in the EU, including where
applicable on traineeships and apprenticeships. The Council also
awaits the Commission's proposal to set quality standards for
traineeships.
(2) Removing administrative hurdles: in this area, the Council:
- welcomed the idea of providing local
administrations with tools to fully comprehend and facilitate
the free movement rights of EU citizens;
- welcomed the Commission's intention to study measures
to remove obstacles in relation to identity and residence
documents issued by Member States and strengthen their
security;
- insisted on the need to ensure that valid identity
cards issued by the Member States to their nationals are
recognised throughout the EU;
- reaffirmed the importance of clarity and certainty
with a view to identifying and eliminating double
taxation.
(3) Eliminating barriers to shopping in the
EU: the Council welcomed the adoption
of the Directive on alternative
dispute resolution for consumer disputes, the Regulation on online dispute
resolution for consumer disputes and the Directive on consumer rights to solve problems
faced by consumers when shopping online. It is
looking forward to considering the revision of the European Small
Claims Procedure.
The Council also highlighted the need to strengthen
administrative cooperation measures among market surveillance
authorities in order to limit the procedural obstacles remaining in
the internal market.
(4) Strengthening procedural rights: the conclusions emphasised the following
issues:
- the importance of the presumption of innocence and
of the right to legal aid in criminal proceedings, the
importance of ensuring these procedural rights to all individuals
residing in the EU, regardless of their citizenship
status;
- the continuation of the Stockholm Programme and the
roadmap aimed at strengthening procedural rights of
individuals, when they are suspected or accused in criminal
proceedings, taking into account the specific situation of children
and other vulnerable groups.
(5) Strengthening and developing the European public
space: underlining the importance of
the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union as
foreseen in Treaties, the Council:
- strongly emphasised the need to raise EU citizens'
awareness about their electoral rights under EU law, the impact
of EU policies on their daily lives, the role of the European
Parliament and hence the importance of their participation in the
European elections;
- underlined the importance of safeguarding the right
to political participation of the most vulnerable groups,
including people with disabilities;
- recalled the importance of better informing voters
about the issues at stake in next year's European Parliament
elections, to encourage a Europe-wide debate and to bring the
EU closer to Union citizens;
- invited the Commission to explore ways within its
competences to maintain and further promote the voting rights of
EU citizens;
Lastly, the Council called on the Member States to
contribute to this joint endeavour and take forward the process of
raising awareness of and implementing the rights that come with EU
citizenship.