Main components of citizenship

As mention earlier, The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) specifically Article 20 of the TFEU sets several rights and protections linked to the status of European Union citizen for any individual with the nationality of a Member State. These include:

• The right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States;
• The right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament and in municipal elections in the Member State where the EU citizen resides;
• The right to diplomatic and consular protection by any other EU country when the home Member State is not represented in a non-EU country;
• The right to petition the European Parliament and the right to address the EU’s institutions and advisory bodies in any of the EU’s official languages;
• The right to access documents of the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission.

Additionally: the main components of national citizenship

In addition to rights granted to any citizen of a member state that automaticity grants the citizen a European citizenship as well, we add the main components of national citizenship which typically include: a legal status that grants individuals right to vote, work, and live in the country; responsibilities, such as obeying laws, paying taxes, and serving in the military if required.

Further elements

Other elements that are not necessarily mandatory but for the context of this course are considered to be essential for an active and engaged participation involve: civic engagement, participation in civic activities, such as volunteering, and engaging in community service; social integration, which includes learning and adopting the cultural norms, language, and customs of the country of citizenship; sense of identity and belonging, the personal identification with the values, history, and culture of the country of citizenship.