News
Dear readers, As September draws to a close, we look back on a month filled with major milestones and ahead to an eventful autumn. From setting the official launch date for our “All On Board” European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to expanding our team and board, there is plenty of momentum …
Author: Lisa Desjardins Europe is founded on values such as human rights, freedom, and equality. According to Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, all EU citizens and their family members have the right to move and reside freely within the EU. This freedom of movement …
Back to School: Rethinking the Future of Education in Europe On 31 August 2026, the ECIT Foundation brought together academics, policymakers, youth leaders, and civil society representatives in Brussels and online to rethink the role of citizenship education, European mobility, and skills portability across the EU. The event opened with …
Dear Readers, As summer draws to a close and the new academic year approaches, the ECIT team is gearing up for an ambitious season ahead. August has been an exceptionally productive month for us, as we closed the holiday season with our 2026 Summer School, where we brought together young …
Tony Venables — Introductory remarks to the ECIT Summer School, Brussels, 31 August Introduction The European Citizens’ Initiative “All on Board” sets out to convert European civic education, mobility, and the mutual recognition of qualifications into a right available to all. That which has so far been a privilege of …
Author: Maëlle Goret When it comes to democratic inclusion, the mechanics of how people vote are just as important as the legal right itself. For decades, Czech citizens living abroad faced a daunting barrier during national elections: the requirement to vote in person at an embassy or consulate. That changed …
We have exciting news to share! Over the past few weeks, the momentum behind our upcoming European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), All On Board, has been building steadily. As our network of amazing civil society organisations, youth networks, and passionate advocates is growing, we are looking forward to champion full political …
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 …
Author: Maëlle Goret Announced in President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, the European Democracy Shield (EDS) is the European Union’s latest flagship initiative to protect our democratic systems. Built on pillars like safeguarding the information space, ensuring free and fair elections, and boosting citizen engagement, the initiative has officially set …
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 …
Author: Lisa Desjardins On 10 June, the ECIT Foundation brought together citizens, activists, and legal experts for an informal round table, to discuss a growing “democratic void” in the European Union: the fact that up to 10 million mobile EU citizens risk being stripped of their voice in the 2029 …
Author: Lisa Desjardins On May 26, the Council of the European Union adopted a new directive reinforcing mobile EU citizens’ voting rights in local elections. Aiming to empower an estimated 13.5 million Europeans living in a Member State other than their own, this update modernizes rules originally drafted in 1994 …
Dear Readers, Just as summer is about to kick off, May 2026 has proven to be an important milestone for the ECIT Foundation. This month, we officially submitted our European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), “All On Board,” to the European Commission for formal registration. This brings our core vision of learning, …
The ECIT Foundation is looking for a new generation of architects to support our upcoming launch of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “All On Board – For Your Right to EU Citizenship.” This is not a typical internship. We aren’t just “running a project”. We are building a youth-led European …
Author: Maëlle Goret European Union citizenship is frequently hailed as a “fundamental status” of Member State nationals. It is a unique legal construction that grants individuals rights beyond the nation-state, most notably the right to free movement. However, as the ECIT Foundation continues its research and advocacy, we have identified …
On 18 March 2026, ECIT held a meeting to finalise the All on Board ECI ahead of its registration with the European Commission. The event represented an important occasion for the initiative, providing an opportunity to review the legal framework, discuss proposed amendments, and ensure the ECI was fully prepared for formal …
The year 2024 was marked by the campaign for the European elections from 6–9 June and the setting up of the new legislature. It is therefore appropriate to begin this Annual Report with some consideration of the achievements during the last legislature from 2019–2024 and which should be built on …
ECIT demanded on several occasions in 2023 that there should be a public consultation on the tri-annual Citizenship Report which the European Commission presents under Article 25 TFEU. Following on from an exchange of letters with DG Justice, which refused to make such a commitment, ECIT appealed to the Commission …
Our correspondence with the Secretary General The purpose of the ECIT and New Europeans‘ joint letter to the Commission is to follow up the work of “Voters Without Borders” demanding an end to disenfranchisement of EU citizens practicing their rights to freedom of movement. This letter focuses on the rights …
At a conference in Brussels on 3 July, stakeholders discussed the future of EU Citizenship in the next legislature. They emphasised the need to prioritise European Citizenship, particularly for the younger generation who view it as a key part of their identity. EU Citizenship, established by the Maastricht Treaty, has …
On Wednesday 3 July, the ECIT Foundation will host a significant conference entitled “European Citizenship at the Crossroads”. This event marks the conclusion of the “Inclusive Europe for Mobile EU Citizens” (MobileCIT) project and will take place from 10.30 to 18.00 at the European Economic and Social Committee in Meeting …
This programme comes at a time of transition for the European Union in the run-up to the 2024 European elections and a new legislature. Under the current legislature, the ECIT Foundation has had success with the European Parliament, taking up and supporting its key proposals: the idea of a Statute …
A Symbolic Vote for a More Inclusive European Governance by Amedeo Gasparini Originally published online by The New Federalist. Reproduced with their permission. Ahead of the European elections on June 9th, the upcoming symbolic vote organized by ECIT Foundation, Voters Without Borders, and Stand Up for Europe presents an opportunity …
From 10.00 to 18.00 on 26 April 2024, ECIT Foundation, Voters Without Borders, and Stand Up for Europe will hold a Symbolic Vote in Brussels on the Esplanade of the European Parliament and Place de la Petite Suisse, close to ULB-Solbosch. There will also be an online version. For the first …