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
Brussels, 24 July 2026 What if every young European had the opportunity to learn about Europe, experience it first-hand and have those experiences recognised wherever they live? The European Commission has officially registered the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “All On Board – For your right to citizenship without borders”, marking
Author: Lisa Desjardins On June 26, the ECIT Foundation brought together legal experts, voting rights advocates, and affected citizens at the Press Club Brussels Europe (and online) for a vital panel debate. Moderated by ECIT Co-Founder Suzana Carp, and timed deliberately in the run-up to the Irish Presidency of the
Dear Readers, Although the heatwave was raging in Brussels, it did not slow the team down. June has been a particularly busy and productive month for the ECIT Foundation, defined by high-level legal mobilization and deep policy analysis. Following our formal submission of the “All On Board” ECI to the European Commission
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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.