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October - December 2013 / No 5
Building bridges: providing citizens with the information they request
This quarterly review is a compilation, by the Citizens’ Enquiries Unit, of information garnered directly from citizens through the 
correspondence sent to the European Parliament. The Unit 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. 
Situation in Ukraine
In the wake of President Yanukovich’s 
decision not to sign the association 
agreement with the EU, citizens expressed  
their concern about this postponement of 
closer links with the EU and Ukraine, as well 
as the current situation in the country.
Most messages were an appeal for help from 
the EU, as citizens felt their democratic rights 
were being suppressed by the Ukrainian 
government.  Above  all,  citizens  affirmed 
that they have the right to be heard, and 
expressed their belief in European values as 
well as their desire to be part of the EU.
More information
MEPs debate in plenary the future of Ukraine
Sexual and reproductive 
health and rights
© European Union, 2013
In light of debates on the own-initiative 
Repercussions of Lampedusa
report on sexual and reproductive health 
and rights, citizens turned to the Parliament 
The migrants’ boat tragedy off the coast  Some of the citizens’ correspondence  and expressed their deep concerns 
of the Italian island of Lampedusa, and the  also contained proposals for measures the  about some aspects of the report, calling 
ensuing broad debate about European  European Union could take to improve the  for the EP to reject the proposal. Some 
policy on immigration and asylum, sparked a  situation in the migrants’ countries of origin  citizens felt particularly strongly about the 
significant amount of correspondence from  so they wouldn’t need to leave their home  abortion aspects of the FEMM Committee’s 
citizens. They expressed a wide variety of  countries anymore.
report. The report tabled for the plenary in 
viewpoints and addressed different aspects 
December fell and an alternative resolution 
of the issue of irregular migration.
These suggestions were often coupled with  was adopted.
scepticism about the effectiveness of EU 
Citizens often expressed grief about the fate  development aid and criticism of Europe’s  More information
of the migrants and voiced their support for  economic policy towards developing 
demands made by President Schulz and  countries. Some citizens demanded fairer  MEPs say sexual and reproductive health 
many MEPs that the European Union and  trading conditions between the European  and rights are matter for Member States
the Member States take action to prevent  Union and Africa or made concrete 
the loss of more lives and improve conditions  suggestions on how the development aid  Sakharov Prize 2013
for asylum-seekers and irregular migrants  system could be improved in their opinion.
arriving in Europe.
The award of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom 
More information
of Thought, presented in November of this 
Others, however, showed their disagreement 
year to Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai 
with the calls to improve support for refugees  EP resolution of 23 October 2013 on migratory  for her fight to promote education for girls, 
and migrants. Often referring to the difficulties  flows  in  the  Mediterranean,  with  particular  triggered an influx of messages from citizens 
in  which  many  Europeans  currently  find  attention to the tragic events off Lampedusa
on this matter. Some enquired about the 
themselves or expressing concerns about 
nomination process and how Members 
their integration, they questioned the EU’s  Migration: EU must act to prevent further  of the European Parliament voted; others 
capacity to cope with increasing migration.  tragedies, says Parliament
made suggestions of their ideal candidate 
Some  citizens  specifically  criticised  the 
for the prize.
EP’s demands for stronger solidarity and  President Martin Schulz on migration at the 
responsibility-sharing between Member European Council (24/10/2013)
More information
States in accommodating those seeking 
refuge or opportunities within the EU, while  Irregular migration: a European Issue  Sakharov  Prize  −  25  years  of  promoting 
others acclaimed this initiative.
(Infographics)
human rights



European elections 2014
In the past months, citizens have continued  parliament and how an MEP’s credentials 
to enquire about the European elections  are verified by the Parliament.  
coming up in 2014. 
The ‘Act. React. Impact.’ campaign, which 
The most frequently asked questions were  was launched in September, also evoked 
how citizens themselves could become a  reactions  from  citizens,  thus  confirming  the 
Member of the European Parliament and  importance of such an initiative.
the conditions under which political parties 
could run for election.
More information
Citizens also enquired about the European Parliament elections webpage
incompatibility of the mandate of an 
MEP and that of a member of a national  EP launches information campaign
European Youth Event
Themes throughout 2013
The launch of the upcoming European  Several citizens have thus requested that  In the course of 2013 there have been certain 
Youth Event (EYE) 2014, which will take  participants be accepted on an individual  topics which have systematically cropped 
place in May, has already triggered a  basis and then pooled together at a later  up. Some of these recurrent themes are 
flurry  of  enquiries  concerning  the  rules  of  stage with other individual entries. 
listed below in alphabetical order: 
participation. 
•  Animal welfare
More practical questions, such as entry  •  Civil liberties and human rights issues
In particular, citizens regularly brought up  requirements and deadlines for submitting  •  EP elections
the obligation to participate as a group of  applications, have also been received.
•  Questions of independence in 
minimum 10 people due to the fact that 
Catalonia and Scotland
many  seem  unable  to  muster  up  sufficient  More information
•  Socioeconomic crisis
enthusiasm amongst fellow peers to meet 
•  Surveillance programmes
this entry requirement. 
European Youth Event webpage
•  Trade agreements
600
Statistics for the fourth quarter 
Number of enquiries per country of residence
of 2013
500
In the fourth quarter of 2013, the Unit treated 
a total of 1926 enquiries coming from every 
Member State, as well as non-EU countries.
400
As in the past, the largest percentage of 
queries concentrated on internal matters. 
300
Civil liberties, justice and home affairs 
topped this category, reflecting the number 
of correspondence received on immigration 
200
and asylum policy, as well as citizens’ rights.
The number of enquiries regarding EU  100
external relations and external matters 
represented 10% of the total received 
this quarter. More than half of these dealt 
0
with foreign affairs issues. Those relating 
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Internal matters
Institutional affairs
Civil liberties, justice and home affairs
39%
European Parliament
88%
Agriculture and animal welfare
23%
EU institutions and constitutional affairs
9%
Economy and finances
11%
Budget
2%
Employment and social affairs
7%
Enlargement
1%
Institutional affairs
28%
Education
3%
Internal matters
Consumer protection
3%
EU external relations/external matters
50%
Environment
3%
Foreign affairs
52%
Public health
2%
International trade
15%
Energy
2%
Human rights
14%
EU external relations /
Other
External matters
Transport
2%
Humanitarian aid and development
3%
12%
10%
Women's rights and gender equality
2%
Employment and social affairs
3%
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Culture
2%
Fisheries
3%
Miscellaneous
2%
Miscellaneous
10%
The items contained herein are produced by the Citizens’ Enquiries Unit 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. 
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European Parliamentary Editorial team: F. Bubenheimer, L. Forde, M. Kaczmarek and C. Lázaro. To request more 
Research Service
information on the articles in this quarterly review and make comments, please contact us:  
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