On the implementation of the Treaty provisions on EU citizenship

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SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs calls on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

1. Recalls that EU citizenship is closely linked to and dependent on the citizenship of a Member State, which is an exclusive competence of every Member State; firmly believes that there can be no other way to obtain EU citizenship than by obtaining the citizenship of a Member State, in accordance with its national requirements established in line with constitutional principles, traditions and values;

2. Calls on the Member States to inform non-national Union citizens upon registration in their Member State of residence about their electoral rights and the electoral procedures regarding European and municipal elections, and to offer them the possibility to immediately register as a voter;

3. Calls on the Member States to implement appropriate arrangements tailored to their national voting procedures to facilitate voting by citizens with disabilities, such as the possibility to choose polling stations and the use of assistive technologies, formats and techniques; calls on the Member States, furthermore, to allow for persons with disabilities, at their request, to receive assistance in voting from a person of their choice and to endeavour to provide for the possibility of postal voting, and possibly advance physical voting, proxy voting and electronic and online voting;

4. Urges the Council and the Commission to resume negotiations on the revision of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 with the aim of ensuring that EU citizens are able to fully exercise their right to access documents and scrutinise the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies.