Towards a Statute on European Union Citizenship: A Manifesto

Abstract

EU citizenship is almost thirty years old and there are many reasons for thinking in a more holistic and constructive way about it. This can be done through the adoption of an EU Citizenship Statute which brings together all EU citizenship rights and dimensions, links clearly EU citizenship rights with the European Pillar on Social Rights, and fundamental rights, that is, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, enriches its rights and includes responsibilities for EU citizens. This idea has been supported by the European Parliament and the citizen-led Conference on the Future of Europe. In this manifesto, we present this institutional proposal, examine its drivers and its obstacles and propose the text of its possible articles before lending our attention to the steps required for the statute’s empirical implementation. The adoption of a statute would contribute to the creation of a rights-based and inclusive European community with an effective EU citizenship and enhanced living and working conditions.