A joint venture for citizenship

"Public confidence in political institutions is falling sharply". It is necessary to restore credibility "to national governments, regional, local as well as to European institutions, to "bring people closer to policy-making processes", to democratic participation and to the "European project". Viviane Reding, from Luxembourg, EU Commissioner for Justice, citizenship and fundamental rights, Vice-President of the EU Commission, is a convinced Europeanist. She is renown for his commitment to spread the "European word", to counter the threats on fundamental rights, the attempts to trample upon EU treaties, as well as for her arguments with politicians of all ranks and nationalities. On the eve of May 9, Feast of Europe (celebrating the Schuman Declaration of 1950, considered the milestone of integration), Reding presented the second Report on EU Citizenship, with 12 new actions to transform the rights inscribed within the treaties in a daily reality. Overcoming obstacles. "We must reinforce EU citizens’ rights and remove obstacles they still face in their everyday life", underlined Viviane Reding. Her Citizenship Report identifies concrete ways "to help Europeans make better use of their EU rights, from looking for a job in another EU country to ensuring stronger participation in the democratic life of the Union". Key proposals include "making it easier for people to work and do training in another EU country, adopt measures to help people with disabilities to overcome the various difficulties they face; reducing excessive paperwork for EU citizens living and travelling in the EU; and eliminating barriers to cross-border shopping". The 2013 EU Citizenship Report – the previous dates back to 2010 – is the Commission’s answer to the numerous calls from EU citizens who have shared problems they have experienced when travelling, moving to or shopping in another EU country. Concrete proposals. To step up citizens’ rights the Report identifies 12 new actions in six areas. Priority is given to removing obstacles for workers, students and trainees in the EU, notably by "extending the right of jobseekers to receive unemployment benefits from their home country while they are looking for a job in another EU member state beyond the current mandatory three months to increase the mobility of workers". The document envisages a "quality framework for traineeships that specifies the rights and obligations of the parties making sure that traineeships are not used as a form of ‘unpaid employment". The Report proposes Cutting red tape in the Member States – facilitating the acceptance of identity and residence documents and making it easier to recognise roadworthiness certificates for cars cross-border in the EU…). Emphasis is placed on "protecting the more vulnerable in the EU", by developing an EU disability card to be mutually recognised across the EU, "making sure that the 80 million disabled people can also take advantage of the benefits that come with national cards". Other actions include: eliminating barriers to shopping in the EU and online; promoting the availability of targeted and accessible information about the EU and strengthening citizens’ participation in the democratic process ("by working on ways to enable EU citizens to keep their right to vote in national elections in their country of origin after having moved to another State").A last resort? Reding is available for questions. The thorny "democratic deficit", namely the gap between EU institutions and its citizens, lingers on", while populist and nationalistic movements continue to thrive … In a year 500 million votes will be called to renew the Parliament in Strasbourg. Aren’t you worried about these trends? "I am indeed", she said". Eurobarometer surveys brought to the fore plummeting confidence in policy-makers, national governments and European institutions". "We must act with determination, both at national and European level – the Commissioner told SIR Europe – providing concrete answers to citizens’ questions". By doing so we "will restore credibility to the political realm and to its institutions. When I talk to people, when attending conferences and roundtables, I hear many people ask the EU to resolve issues which fall within the responsibilities of their national governments. Many people see the EU as a last resort…". Reding does not conceal her concern for the spread of populist and anti-European sentiments and argues that "it is time to create a joint venture between Europe and the United States", to produce the answers invoked by citizens. "Fundamental rights are the basis on which the EU has been established: they should be protected and strengthened. It is the commitment that the Commission has assumed and intends to pursue in the areas where it is competent to act".