European citizenship has not yet been fully implemented. It is a unique construct that does not exist anywhere else in the world. It began to become a reality with the Maastricht Treaty, when it was created; superimposed on the citizenship of any EU Member State, giving European citizens additional rights. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU reinforced them and opened the door to their connection with the new realities that need to be incorporated, so that the exercise of these rights can reach their full potential.
At present, we have some European citizenship rights associated with the citizenship of our Member States, and this gives us a series of added electoral rights, consular rights, among other direct rights. However, the practical application shows deficits, and young people, who know they are Europeans, are asking to be able to study, hold a degree, work and live normally throughout the EU. For this reason, and because trust is at the heart of the political pact, we must complete the success of European citizenship by placing it at the centre of the political system.
