Citizenship a Reality on the Ground Steen Illeborg Secretary - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Steen Illeborg Secretary General Europeans Throughout The World (ETTW)

Hearing on Union Citizenship in Practice: Making Union Citizenship a Reality on the Ground

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European expat citizens throughout the world

• More than 14 million expat citizens within

the EU have used their Right to Free Movement.

• More than 80 million EU citizens live and

work outside their home country worldwide.

• ETTW: European umbrella organization for

national expat organizations.

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• The refugees crisis – makes defending the

EU right to free movement difficult

• Getting the facts right: detailed statistics,

facts on economic impact of intra-EU mobility needed.

• Accumulation of job seekers and costs in

limited geographical areas:brain drain/waste

• Scaremongering

Challenges to Free Movement

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Free movement – figures/trends

• 14,6 mio, EU citizens on the move
• EUR 15: 1,2 % of total pop. have moved
• EUR 13: 5,6 % of total pop. have moved
• Trends inside EU: East-West migration,

Circular migration and ‘Homecoming’.

• Outside the EU: more than 60 mio. EU

Citizens

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Immigration/asylum

• 20 mio. 3rd country nationals currently

residing within the EU (2013)

• 16 mio. living in EUR 15 countries
• Refugees to EU in 2015: more than 1 mio.

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Concrete measures in support of Free Movement Rights

• Defending right to free movement: figures

and proportions, EC: ‘Guard the Treaties’!

• Communicating mobile citizens’ positive

contributions to member states’ economy.

• Raising awareness - monitoring ECJ’s case

law rulings and their implementation

• Facilitating and enhancing voting rights –

i(nternet)-voting

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• Encourage implementation of consular

protection directive.

• A Free Movement Solidarity Fund
• Public consultations of expats inside and
• utside the EU.
• Launch ‘structured debate/dialogue’ on Free

Movement

Concrete measures...

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Related ETTW Initiatives

• Facts and Figures: Session on Migration Statistics at

EUROSTAT Forum on ‘Social Statistics’ 28-30 November 2016 in Luxembourg.

• Public Consultation: Convening a ‘European Expat

Convention ‘2018. Project with Maltese Government

• Internet voting: Seminar on internet voting at the

Parliament, 24 May 2016. Project with MEP Monica Macovei and European e-voting providers.

• Monitoring ECJ rulings on free Movement :

Project with Belgian universities. Spring 2016.