EUkansalaisuuteen

Eukansalaisuuteen refers to citizenship of the European Union. It is a supplementary form of citizenship to national citizenship, granted automatically to all citizens of any EU member state. Holding EU citizenship confers a set of rights and privileges upon individuals, regardless of their nationality within the Union.

Key rights associated with EU citizenship include the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the member states. This means an EU citizen can live, work, study, or retire in any EU country without needing a visa or special permit, subject to certain conditions. Another significant right is the right to vote and stand as a candidate in European Parliament elections and municipal elections in the member state of residence, under the same conditions as nationals of that state.

Furthermore, EU citizens have the right to diplomatic and consular protection from the authorities of any member state when they are in a third country where their own member state does not have diplomatic representation. They also have the right to petition the European Parliament and to apply to the European Ombudsman. The principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality is fundamental to EU citizenship, ensuring equal treatment across member states. EU citizenship was formally established by the Maastricht Treaty in 1992.