Deliberations of the Committee on Petitions 2016 (debate)
Marlene Mizzi (S&D). – Mr President, the Committee on Petitions empowers EU citizens with the right to bring to the Parliament issues which are important to them in their everyday lives and to have their concerns specifically addressed by the committee members. The right to submit a petition to the European Parliament builds an important bridge that needs to be suitably protected and promoted. The Petitions Committee plays a vital role in reconnecting the EU with European citizens and in reinforcing the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the EU decision—making process.
However, it should be noted that the number of petitions received is still not satisfactory when compared to the EU’s population. Greater efforts are needed to increase awareness of, and to promote, the right to petition and the work of the Petitions Committee. I agree that there should be more communication through the press and social media in order to enhance awareness of the services offered by this committee. Furthermore, an efficient response time to citizens’ petitions is paramount and assists in enhancing the importance of citizens to the European Union.