At ECIT Foundation, our mission is to further develop EU Citizenship.
Citizenship Statute
Since it was established in 2015, ECIT was alone in demanding and putting forward proposals for a Statute on European Citizenship — our attempt to codify and redefine the rights constituting what it means to be a European citizen. It is a success that the idea of a citizenship statute has now been supported by the European Parliament and the Conference on the Future of Europe, but there is still some way to go.
Political Rights
EU citizens have the right to vote and stand as candidates in local and European elections but not in regional and national elections, or to participate in referendums in their country of residence. The ECI ‘Voters Without Borders’ failed to collect enough signatures, but the campaign for full voting rights connected to freedom of movement and migration continues.
Citizenship Education
Our proposal ‘I’m Going European’ for a new ECI is developed with the idea to guarantee the freedom of Europe for every child. This ECI aims for a Europe of equal opportunity. In theory, young people have the freedom of Europe, but there is a gap between the fine principles of the law and the barriers to access. If one third of EU citizens have the civic education and skills to take advantage of Europe, the majority miss out.
NEWS
Dear Readers, Although summer is now well and truly underway in Brussels, the ECIT team has been working at full speed throughout July. This month, the ECIT Foundation achieved an important milestone: the European Commission officially registered our “All On Board” European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), giving us the green light
Author: Chiara Ravasio Packing a suitcase, stepping off a train in a city where you don’t speak the primary language, and figuring out how to navigate university life away from home—for millions of young people, this is the defining moment of becoming European. Since its establishment in 1987 as a
Author: Tony Venables, Founder, ECIT Foundation Should parliamentarians propose behavioral guidelines for the judiciary? Occasionally yes, since no institution is immune from legitimate scrutiny. However, respect for judicial independence and the separation of powers must remain an exception. When politicians criticise the administration of justice, it often marks a dangerous
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Thanks to your generous donation our initiatives can continue to grow, working towards our mission to further develop European Citizenship, and set positive goals for the future of Europe. We are so grateful for your continuing support.