CITIZENS RIGHTS

Right to political participation

I. RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO STAND AS CANDIDATE AT

THE MUNCIPAL ELECTIONS
Right to vote:As

European

As non-European

- To be 18 years old;

Right to vote:

- To be an EU national.

- To be 18 years old;

Conditions to stand as candidate:

- To be on the electoral register;

- To be an EU national;

- (In Belgium) To live in the country for at least

5 years.

- To make a declaration that you are not

disqualified from standing as a candidate in
your home country;
- In some countries (e.g.: Belgium, France,
Poland, ), you can be elected to a
councilor's position - but only nationals can
become mayors.

Conditions to stand as candidate:

- To be an EU national.
So a non-European cant be stand as
candidate.

II. RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO STAND AS CANDIDATE AT

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS
Right to vote:As

European

As non-European

- To be 18 years old;

Right to vote:

- To be an EU national.

- To be an EU national.

Conditions to stand as candidate:

So a non-European cant vote.

- To be 18 years old (21 in Belgium);

- To be an EU national;
- To make a declaration that you are not
disqualified from standing as a candidate in a
EU country;
- You can only vote and stand as a candidate in
one country.

To stand as candidate:
- To be an EU national.
So a non-European cant be stand as
candidate.

OTHER RIGHTS

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND RESIDENCE

As European:
- Every citizen of the Union has the right to
move and reside freely within the territory of
the Member States.
Nevertheless, you must be in possession of
an ID card or a passport!

As non-European:
- First, depending on your nationaly, you may
need a visa. Short-stay visa if you are
planning a short stay of up to three months
or a long-stay visa if you are planning to
travel to an EU country for more than three
months;
- To stay in an EU country, you may also need
a residence/work permit;
- If you have stayed legally in an EU country
for five years, you may be entitled to be
given a "long-term resident" status there.

DIPLOMATIC PROTECTION
Every citizen of the Union shall, in the territory of a third country in which the Member State of
which he or she is a national is not represented, be entitled to protection by the diplomatic or
consular authorities of any Member State, on the same conditions as the nationals of that Member
State.