My Voice Counts: European Road Map to Citizen Participation

2012 MY OICE COUNTS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY MY VOICE, MY RIGHT. MY VOICÉ COUNTS EUROPEAN ROAD MAP TO CITIZEN PARTICIPATION WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC LIFE? WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC LIFE MEANS TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE. COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN: ..BY VOTING OR RUNNING FOR ELECTION, EXPRESSING, DEBATING POLICIES, VOLUNTEERING, COMPLAINING, PROPOSING, CAMPAIGNING, BECOMING A MEMBER OF A PARTY, UNION, OR ASSOCIATION. DIFFERENT LAWS APPLY TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES BUT ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS THIS RIGHT APPLIES EQUALLY TO ALL. MINORITIES AND MIGRANTS ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC LIFE OF THE COUNTRY THEY LIVE IN. WHO OR WHAT GIVES US THAT RIGHT? NATIONAL LAWS INTERNATIONAL LAW (TREATIES) THE INTERNATIONAL EU LEGISLATION BILL OF RIGHTS EUROPEAN CHARTER OF INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL CONVENTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (2000, DECLARATION OF COVENANT ON HUMAN RIGHTS (1950): Applies to all 47 members of the Council of Europe articles 10 and 11 HUMAN RIGHTS, (UN 1948). Not legally binding. Inspiration for laws and treaties Arlicles 19, 20, 21 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS. Entered into force RIGHTS. in 2009 Lisbon Trealy applies to 27 EU Member States Legally binding Legally binding ARTICLES 11, 12 ARTICLE 41 ARTICLES 39, 40 ARTICLE 43 ARTICLE FREEDOM OF THE RIGHT THE RIGHT TO VOTE THE RIGHT TO THE RIGHT EXPRESSION AND TO RUN FOR ELECTIONS TO EU TO PETITION THE EUROPEAN TO A GOOD COMPLAIN TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN AND ASSEMBLY ADMINISTRATION PARLIAMENT AND AND ASSOCIATION PARLIAMENT IN THE MUNICIPALITY ONE RESIDES WHAT IS AN OMBUDSMAN? IT IS AN INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL ARBITER BETWEEN THE STATE, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS AND CITIZENS. HE MAY SUGGEST CHANGES IN THE ACTION OF PUBLIC BODIES BUT HAS NO MEANS TO ENFORCE THEM OR TO SANCTION. WHENEVER INDIVIDUALS FEEL THAT THEIR RIGHTS HAVE NOT BEEN RESPECTED AND/OR THEY OBSERVE MISCONDUCT BY PUBLIC BODIES THEY CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE OMBUDSMAN IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. THEY CAN ALSO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN IF THE PROBLEM RELATES TO A EUROPEAN INSTITUTION. WHAT IS A PETITION? GENERALLY, PETITIONS ARE DEFINED AS FORMAL REQUESTS TO AN AUTHORITY, USUALLY A GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTION. IN MOST DEMOCRACIES, THE CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO PETITION GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT AND/OR OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES IS PROVIDED BY LAW, IN MANY INSTANCES EVEN IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW OR PRACTICE CAN CITIZENS PUT FORWARD ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO PARTICIPATE? PROPOSALS FOR NEW LAWS? YES, IN MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES YES, THROUGH CIVIL SOCIETY FORUMS, FORMAL AND INFORMAL, FORMING AND ALSO AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL. ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS, ALSO USING TO MAKE SURE THE PROPOSAL IS ACCEPTED AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO ADVOCATE FORCHANGING DISCUSSED BY PARLIAMENT CITIZENS WILL HAVE TO AND IMPROVING THEIR SOCIETY. FOLLOW A CERTAIN FORMAT AND GATHER THE SUPPORT OF OTHER CITIZENS. IT IS CALLED LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE OR CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE. YOU CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE MULTIPLE AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL, THIS IS CALLED THE POPULAR CONSULTATIONS LAUNCH BY SOME EUROPEAN CITIZENS INITIATIVE AND THE LEGAL. NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND BY THE EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK THAT PROVIDES FOR IT IS THE COMMISSION: HTTP://EC.EUROPA.EU/YOURVOICE/ LISBON TREATY EUROPEAN LEVEL EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN PETITION ANY CITIZEN (OR ORGANIZATION) OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, OR RESIDENT IN A MEMBER STATE, MAY, INDIVIDUALLY OR IN ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS, SUBMIT A INVESTIGATES COMPLAINTS ABOUT MALADMINISTRATION IN THE INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN OR AN ORGANIZATION OF A MEMBER STATE OF THE UNION OR RESIDE IN PETITION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT A MEMBER STATE, YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT ON A SUBJECT WHICH COMES WITHIN THE TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN. EUROPEAN UNION'S FIELDS OF ACTIVITY AND WHICH AFFECTS THEM DIRECTLY. WEBSITE www.OMBUDSMAN.EUROPA.EU/EN/HOME.FACES WEBSITES www.EUROPARL.EUROPA.EU/ABOUTPARLIAMENT/ EN/00533CEC74/PETITIONS.HTML ADDRESS: RUE WIERTZ 60, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM EUROPEAN CIȚIZENS INITIATIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS IT IS AN INVITATION TO THE EUROPEAN EUROPEAN CITIZENS CAN PARTICIPATE COMMISSION TO PROPOSE LEGISLATION ON IN THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS BY MATTERS WHERE THE EU HAS COMPETENCE TO PARTICIPATING IN OPEN CONSULTATIONS OF LEGISLATE, SUCH AS ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE, A VARIETY OF ISSUES SUCH AS PUBLIC HEALTH, ENERGY, ETC. THE EASIEST ACCESS POINT TO TRANSPORT OR PUBLIC HEALTH. IT MUST BE BACKED BY AT LEAST 1 MILLION EU CITIZENS, COMING FROM 7 OUT OF THE 27 MEMBER STATES. THIS MECHANISM IS THE WEBSITE 'YOUR VOICE IN EUROPE" A MINIMUM NUMBER OF SIGNATORIES IS REQUIRED IN EACH OF THOSE 7 MEMBER STATES. HTTP://EC.EUROPA.EU/YOURVOICE CONSULTATIONS/INDEX_EN.HTM LINK: HTTP://EC.EUROPA.EU/CITIZENS- INITIATIVE/PUBLIC/WELCOME CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN EUROPE Legend Ragional Ombudaman Natkonal Oribuchman + Rig lo potan Nalkonal Ombuduran Righi to potilan + CHn Leglalive initialive Nolkonal Ombudsman Righ to polion Public consultafon Nailonal Oribuchman + Right to patian + Public canaulatan + Cizera' Lagulatva iritiative . Nalkonal Ombuduman • Cileens' legalative initalve Right to pelikon • Clizers' Legislalive initafve AI European Union Clizers have the right to submit complaints to the European Ombudsman e Produced by Design: OUNIC a Antonio di Vice