Text tabled : A6-0182/2009

  Alin Lucian Antochi (PSE), in writing. – (RO) Mrs Gacek’s report brings to the fore one important aspect: when the European Union was expanded, a considerable increase was noted in the number of European citizens resident outside their state of origin in a context where European citizenship complements the citizenship of Member States, each of which is responsible for regulating this aspect.

In spite of the active involvement of citizens in initiating legislative proposals and in attempting to make the Community’s legislative system more transparent, Europeans are still faced with a number of problems linked to the breach of and non-compliance with people’s right to move to and reside where they want on the territory of Member States. The discrepancies noted between Member States on regulating a compulsory visa requirement or on exercising the right to vote in both their country of origin and country of adoption raise a question mark over the equality of rights among all European citizens.

For this reason, I consider that Member States must take all necessary measures to transpose effectively the norms intended to harmonise European citizens’ rights. In this specific case, we must bear in mind that the starting point is partnership, whether between Member States and the EU or between regional, local and civil institutions.

Last but not least, Member States must guarantee the right to vote to all EU citizens residing in a Member State other than their original state at the time of legislative elections.