From concept to reality : the development of European citizenship

Abstract

The questions asked in this research were the how and why did European Citizenship happen. Asking these questions to try and test the thoughts that there was an effort to undermine the national governments of the member states while empowering that of the European Union. To be able to do this, gathering the relative and appreciate research, a holistic approach was taken. Due to the nature and length of this research there wasn't space for the condition of primary data gathering, providing the major flaw in the design of this research. Rather, secondary sources were drawn upon in order for the discussion to be carried out. Primary sources were also used in large quantities from different websites and newspapers, allowing for gaps in knowledge to be filled. This resulted in a discussion of primarily the historic aspect of the paper which gave a background to the theory, especially with regards to the treaties, focusing on the Maastricht treaty and the Lisbon treaty where the rights and parameters of citizenship were set up. The second part of the discussion focused on the duties and the implied/intended results of the implementation. With the political results and added benefits given to the member states, which in turn result in a stronger European Union. Concluding this research it was clearly seen that the blind awarding of rights to citizens of the member states, making them in turn European Citizens, carried the hidden benefits for the European Parliament and European Commission to be able to have the power they needed to act as a balance to the European Council.