THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION OF CITIZENSHIP 2008/09

1. I.P.S. “ F.S. CABRINI THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION OF CITIZENSHIP 2008/09

2. THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ·It firstly was founded as Common Assembly of ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community) on 1952 with headquarter in Strasbourg • ·        On 1958, after the Treaties of Rome of the year before, was created the European Parliamentary Assembly • ·        On 30th March of 1962 the Assembly changed its name into European Parliament • ·        First direct universal suffrage elections were celebrated on June of 1979 (in that occasion members of Parliament were 410, and on 2007 they reached 785. As for 2009 there will be 736 members.

3. COMPOSITION • ·  According to the Institutive Treaties, the members of the European Parliament were appointed by every single national Parliament (it was necessary being members of a national Parliament, “double mandate”) • · From June 1979, the members of the European Parliament are appointed in every member country by direct universal suffrage, for five years.

4. COMPETENCE     It wields three main powers • 1) Legislative power (European Parliament and Council of Ministers together pass acts suggested by the European Commission which have legislative initiative) • 2) Budgetary power (the EP fix the budget of the next year) • 3) Democratic control power (control on the communitarian activity through temporary commissions of enquire)

5. COMMON MARKET • ·        It is the instrument for reaching Community targets. • ·        Among main actions to suggest for reaching Community targets there are: • 1) the establishment of an internal market, characterized by the elimination among member countries, of impediments to free goods, people, services and assets flow • 2)  the creation on a customs union among member countries, where customs duties and quantitative restrictions to goods access and exit are prohibited and it is fixed a custom fee to be applied to goods coming from countries which are external to the Community

6. INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES • ·The European Parliament, that takes part to the procedure for introducing communitarian acts and carries out consultative and control functions • ·  Union Council, that has normative power • ·  Commission, that has executive function • ·  Court of Justice, with jurisdictional functions • ·  European Court of Auditors, that audits finance management

7. INTERNAL MARKET • The internal market of the European Union is a single market in which the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons is ensured and in which European citizens are free to live, work, study and do business.Since it was created in 1993, the single market has opened more to competition, created new jobs, defined more affordable prices for consumers and enabled businesses and citizens to benefit from a wide choice of goods and services.The European Union is working towards further simplification of the regulations which still prevent citizens and businesses from making the most of the advantages of the single market.

8. LIVING AND WORKING IN THE INTERNAL MARKET • The free movement of persons is one of the fundamental principles guaranteed by the European Union. Any EU resident has the right to travel, live, study and work in another Member State without being subject to nationality-based discrimination. The EU works towards making freedom of movement effective and simple within its borders. The counterpart is an external border policy, which is designed to guarantee an area of freedom, security and justice. This policy covers the entry and stay of non-Europeans, including asylum and immigration, external border management and cooperation with third countries. The free movement of persons therefore comprises an internal component and an external component, which correspond to two regimes: the Community regime and the intergovernmental regime.

9. The four freedoms of movement – for goods, services, people and capital – are underpinned by a range of supporting policies. Firms are prevented from fixing prices or carving up markets among them by the EU’s robust anti-trust policy. People can move around more freely for work because EU countries recognise many of each other’s academic and professional qualifications Within the European single market, people, goods, services and money move around as freely as within one country. We travel at will across the EU’s internal frontiers for business and pleasure or, if we choose, we can stay at home and enjoy a vast array of products from all over Europe. Although we now take it for granted, the single market is one of the EU’s greatest achievements.

10. FREE CIRCULATION OF GOODS • · The art. 23 of ECT (Trattato Comunità Europea – European Community Treaty) establishes a common tariff prohibiting custom duties, among member States • Introduction of a common custom tariff applicable to third countries

11. FREE CIRCULATION OF PEOPLE • · As for fulfil a common market where is assured free circulation of all products, the institutive treaty of European Communities of 1957 there were dispositions for gradual elimination of right restrictions for workers, junior or self employed, moving in communitarian territory for working in any member State. • In parallel some European States gradually made a kind of free circulation of people in their territories, independently of carrying out or not of working in one of the States that are part of the agreement and only related to the possession of nationality of one of them (Shengen Agreement). Under the institution of the European citizenship (Maastricht Treaty) it rises the need of making internal in the communitarian system this broad concept of free circulation of people

12. Free movement of workers: general provisions Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of 15 October 1968 on the free movement of workers within the Community                    SUMMARY The Regulation firstly entitles all nationals of a Member State to take up and engage in gainful employment on the territory of another Member State in conformity with the relevant regulations applicable to national workers. This entitlement is enjoyed without discrimination by permanent, seasonal and frontier workers or by those who pursue their activities for the purpose of providing services. A worker on the territory of another Member State is entitled to the same priority as the nationals of that Member State as regards access to available employment and to the same assistance as that afforded by the host Member State's employment offices to their own nationals seeking employment. Recruitment may not be dependent on medical, occupational or other criteria which discriminate on the grounds of nationality.

13. Exercising an occupation and equal treatment • The Regulation prohibits any discrimination of workers who are nationals of a Member State on the territory of another Member State as regards working and employment conditions (dismissal and remuneration in particular) because of their nationality. They also have the same entitlement to occupational training and retraining measures. • They shall enjoy the same social and tax advantages as national workers.

14. THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

15. THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION • In 1919, the signatory nations to the Treaty of Versailles created the International Labour Organization (ILO) in recognition of the fact that "conditions of labour exist involving such injustice, hardship and privation to large numbers of people as to produce unrest so great that the peace and harmony of the world are imperilled “ • Since 1919, the International Labour Organization , located in Geneve, has maintained and developed a system of international labour standards aimed at promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. • In today's globalized economy, international labour standards are an essential component in the international framework for ensuring that the growth of the global economy provides benefits to all.

16. YOUNG PEOPLE AND EUROPE • To learn or improve a foreign language, get in touch with different cultures, enhance own curriculum vitae and improve own career prospects, you can take advantage of the many opportunities that Europe offers. • Several, in fact, are the initiatives and programs that allow young people to give a European dimension to their own education through the specific experiences of transnational studies, vocational training in Europe or working abroad. • Europe also funds programs that encourage young people to move in for the purpose of volunteering, learning and intercultural cooperation. • Among these, we mention the Youth program which aims to promote social integration, creativity and initiative of young people, combating racism and xenophobia, through activities of non-formal education, such as: -socio-cultural exchanges between groups of young people between 15 and 25 years -experiences of transnational voluntary service for young people between 18 and 25 years -projects locally designed and managed by groups of young people between 15 and 25

17. EDUCATION IN EUROPE • Europe promotes the transnational mobility in vocational education and training through a series of programs aimed to promote opportunities • to learn a foreign language, the knowledge of different cultures, exchange and comparison of experiences. Among the planned initiatives we can mention : Socrates Program which aims to enhance the mobility and European dimension of education Leonardo Program, which supports the improvement and innovation of vocational training in Europe, promoting, among other things, the ability to perform training or working experience abroad The Program Youth Non-formal education which promotes the mobility of international youth groups, individual learning and intercultural initiatives of young people aged between 15 and 25 years as well as internships in Europe

18. WORKING IN EUROPEUSEFUL TIPS • The first step to take in the job search is to identify clearly the profession you want to apply for , especially taking into account your own personal inclinations. • It ‘s very important also to know the world of work and in particular: - degrees and further training required for the desired profession - employment prospects as the professional and business sectors of interest A precious help can come from guidance counselors who know the best ways to find jobs in line with preferences and abilities. • The next step is to start looking for a job after completing the curriculum vitae, better if based on the European format, and have been prepared for the job interview with the right dose of calm and determination. • Tools available to citizens, to search for educational opportunities and employment are the Employment agencies • . It will be useful, finally, to see: publications specifically devoted and listings in the daily press and regular specialized websites