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
in
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ly m
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to institutional affairs increased slightly this
Franc
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GermanySpa
ingdoBelgiumPolan Rom
Swed GreecPortugal BulgaSlovakiaCr LithuanHun Finland
Denm
SloveniaLatviaCyprusEston
xem
specified
quarter, indicating the high public interest in
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the upcoming EP elections.
United K
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Non
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%
Logo + Acronym + text
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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