July - September 2013 / No 4
QUARTERLY REVIEW
Building bridges: providing citizens with the information they request
This quarterly review gives information
compiled by the Citizens’ Enquiry Service (CITES) garnered directly from citizens through the
correspondence sent to the European Parliament which is received and treated by the Unit. CITES aims to give citizens, when asked,
information about the EP, how it works and how legislation is formulated.
We provide one of the bridges between citizens and their representatives across which they can express themselves in writing and receive
replies. The purpose of the review is to give an insight into the issues that were preoccupying citizens who wrote to our Unit.
Stray dogs in Romania
In the aftermath of a deadly dog attack
on a four-year-old boy in Romania, the
government’s adoption of a new law for the
mass euthanasia of stray dogs has created
an overwhelming reaction from citizens
throughout Europe.
Animal rights activists abhor what they see
as brutal treatment of dogs and plead for
an improvement to be made in stray animal
management strategies. Enforcement of this
new law also evoked general comments
from citizens concerning the management
of EU funds allocated to that Member State.
More information
EP’s Intergroup on the Welfare and
Conservation of Animals
European Parliament resolution of 4 July
2012 on the establishment of an EU legal
framework for the protection of pets and
stray animals
Democratic crisis in Egypt
US spying allegations
In the wake of the demonstrations that took authoritarian regime. Many citizens were The US National Security Agency (NSA)
place at the end of June in Tahrir Square in particularly outraged at the portrayal of surveillance programmes, and in particular
Cairo, the ensuing political unrest throughout events by the western media. As far as they the alleged bugging of EU institution
Egypt sparked a wave of correspondence were concerned, they did not consider the premises, was the subject of another influx
from citizens to the European Parliament intervention to be a military coup.
of letters from citizens during the summer
during the third quarter of 2013.
period.
Hope for democracy
Violence in the streets
One of the main issues reflected by citizens
Some citizens thus appealed to the EP was their fear that their fundamental right to
Among the letters received, the most for help and requested that Egyptians be privacy could have been violated. Another
predominant preoccupation of citizens supported in their fight for freedom and in line of enquiry was to request the European
centred on the acts of violence which spilled finding a peaceful and durable solution to Parliament to take action and to conduct
over into the streets of Cairo. What started the crisis. Others, however, took a firm stance a full investigation into whether there was
out as peaceful demonstrations ended in against any type of interference from the any truth in the allegations. Some even
violent clashes between demonstrators and EU or any other state, claiming the situation suggested that all EU-US relations should be
Egyptian security forces. Citizens described to be an internal matter. The underlying put on hold until results of the enquiry were
how unarmed civilians were the victims of thread, however, in each citizen’s message, made known.
brutal violence, how hostages were taken was a call for a rapid return to a fair and
and Coptic churches and mosques were democratic society, where rule of law and The fate of whistle-blower, Edward Snowden,
attacked and burned. Citizens lamented respect for human rights prevail.
triggered further reaction from citizens. In
the chaos and despair that reigned on
particular, citizens enquired as to what role
the streets since the ouster of the Egyptian
More information
the European Parliament played in the
President.
granting of his request for asylum.
EP resolution of 12 September 2013 on the
The desire to express their perception of
situation in Egypt
More information
the situation in Egypt is what mostly pushed
people to write to the European Parliament.
MEPs debate the situation in Egypt with EU EP resolution of 4 July 2013 on the US National
Most of them perceived the intervention as
foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton
Security Agency surveillance programme,
a people’s revolution, intended to defend
surveillance bodies in various Member States
the country against what they called an
Martin Schulz on the situation in Egypt
and their impact on EU citizens’ privacy
Free trade with Canada and the United States
Tobacco products directive
In the past months, an unprecedented Canada to directly sue governments in the The proposed directive on tobacco
amount of correspondence has been European Union, or vice versa. There was and related products, and especially
received from Canada. There was fear that this would limit the political room to the amendments adopted by the ENVI
opposition to the Comprehensive Economic manoeuvre, as companies would be able committee, spurred smokers and consumers
and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is to seek damages e.g. in cases of tighter of electronic cigarettes to write to the EP
currently being negotiated between the environmental legislation hampering their and express their opposition ahead of the
European Commission and the Government businesses.
plenary vote scheduled for this autumn.
of Canada.
Citizens also commented on the recently It was mainly e-cigarette users who expressed
launched negotiations on a Transatlantic worries about the classification of all
Trade and Investment Partnership with the electronic cigarettes and nicotine liquids as
United States (TTIP). In the context of the medicinal products, fearing this would make
NSA surveillance revelations, they expressed them more expensive and difficult to access.
particular worries about data protection
and questioned the benefits of the planned Citizens also criticised the proposed ban on
agreement.
flavoured tobacco products, in particular
menthol cigarettes, claiming this would
More information
infringe on their personal freedom and lead
to an increase in illicit trade of such products.
European Parliament resolution of 8 June
2011 on EU-Canada trade relations
More information
Trade relations between the EU and Canada Public Health Committee MEPs toughen up
Citizens primarily expressed concerns
(European Commission)
plans to deter young people from smoking
about detrimental environmental effects
of the agreement, in particular with regard
EP resolution of 23 May 2013 on EU trade and Procedure file in the Legislative Observatory
to rules that would allow investors from
investment negotiations with the USA
on the tobacco products directive
Statistics for the 3rd quarter of 2013
In the third quarter of 2013, CITES treated
700
a total of 2143 enquiries emanating from
Number of enquiries per country of residence
nearly all the Member States as well as
600
countries outside the EU.
As in the past, the largest percentage of
500
queries concentrated on activities within
the EU and its Member States. Agriculture
400
and animal welfare topped the internal
matters categories, reflecting the number of
correspondence received on the situation of
300
stray dogs in Romania.
200
The number of enquiries regarding EU
external relations and external matters was
on the up this quarter, accounting for almost
100
one fifth of the total received. More than half
of these dealt with foreign affairs issues.
0
e
ly m
in
d ia
s
e
y
d
ia
ia
Those relating to institutional affairs
Ita
an
en
tria
gar
ria
lta
oatia
ark
urg
Polan
Aus
public
Latvia Ma bo
untries
decreased slightly this quarter, but 90% of
GermanyFranc
ingdoBelgiumSpa Rom Swed
GreecHun
Cr PortugalIrelanSlovakiaBulgaSloveniaCyprus
Denm Finland
Lithuan
Eston
xem
specified
Netherland
Co
ech Re
Lu
Un
them still touched on EP-related issues.
United K
Cz
n UE
No
Internal matters
Institutional affairs
Agriculture and animal welfare
425
42%
European Parliament
436
90%
EU institutions and constitutional affairs
30
6%
Institutional affairs
Civil liberties, justice and home affairs
290
29%
486
Economy and finances
55
5%
Budget
11
2%
23%
Employment and social affairs
52
5%
Enlargement
9
2%
Environment
45
4%
Internal matters
1012
Public health
25
2%
EU external relations
47%
/ External matters
Transport
24
2%
EU external relations/external matters
396
Education
20
2%
Foreign affairs
236
60%
18%
Energy
15
1%
International trade
86
22%
Other
Food safety
14
1%
Human rights
34
9%
249
12%
Consumer protection
12
1%
Economy and finances
9
2%
Culture
11
1%
Security and defence
6
2%
Miscellaneous
24
2%
Miscellaneous
25
6%
The items contained herein are produced
by CITES and are provided for general information purposes only. The opinions
expressed are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the EP. Reproduction
and further distribution is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Editorial team: F. Bubenheimer, L. Forde, P. Heath, C. Lázaro. To request more information on the articles in the CITES Quarterly
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