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PARALLEL TEXTS
Limitazione del diritto di voto: la Commissione interviene per difendere il diritto di voto dei cittadini dell'Unione europea all'estero
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-77_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-77_it.htm
Data documento: 29-01-2014
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Disenfranchisement: Commission acts to defend voting rights of EU citizens abroad
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Limitazione del diritto di voto: la Commissione interviene per difendere il diritto di voto dei cittadini dell'Unione europea all'estero
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The European Commission has today issued guidance to EU-Member States which have rules in place leading to a loss of voting rights for citizens in national elections, simply because they have exercised their right to free movement in the EU.
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La Commissione europea ha pubblicato oggi gli orientamenti destinati agli Stati membri dell'UE in cui vigono norme che causano una limitazione del diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali per i cittadini che hanno esercitato semplicemente il proprio diritto alla libera circolazione nell'Unione.
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Five Member States (Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom) currently apply regimes which have that effect.
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Attualmente cinque Stati membri (Danimarca, Irlanda, Cipro, Malta e Regno Unito) applicano regimi che hanno tali conseguenze.
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Whilst under the existing EU Treaties, Member States are competent to determine who can benefit from the right to vote in national elections, disenfranchisement practices can negatively affect EU free movement rights.
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Sebbene nell'ambito degli attuali trattati dell'UE spetti agli Stati membri stabilire chi può beneficiare del diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali, analoghe pratiche di limitazione del diritto di voto possono ripercuotersi negativamente sul diritto di libera circolazione dell'Unione.
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Disenfranchisement practices are also at odds with the founding premise of EU citizenship which is meant to give citizens additional rights, rather than depriving them of rights.
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Tali pratiche che limitano il diritto di voto sono inoltre in contrasto con il principio fondamentale della cittadinanza dell'UE, che intende fornire ai cittadini più diritti, non limitarli.
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“The right to vote is one of the fundamental political rights of citizenship.
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"Il voto è uno dei diritti politici fondamentali del cittadino.
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It is part of the very fabric of democracy.
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Ed è insito nel tessuto democratico.
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Depriving citizens of their right to vote once they move to another EU country is effectively tantamount to punishing citizens for having exercised their right to free movement.
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Privare i cittadini del diritto di voto quando si trasferiscono in un altro paese dell'UE equivale di fatto a punire coloro che hanno esercitato il diritto alla libera circolazione.
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Such practices risk making them second-class citizens,” said Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner.
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Tali pratiche rischiano di farli diventare cittadini di serie B," ha dichiarato la Vicepresidente Viviane Reding, Commissaria europea per la Giustizia.
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“In letters, petitions and citizens' dialogues, citizens have made clear to us just how important this issue is to them.
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"Con lettere, petizioni e dialoghi, i cittadini hanno affermato inequivocabilmente l'importanza che attribuiscono alla questione.
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This is why, in the 2013 EU Citizenship Report, the Commission made a pledge to address the matter.
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Per questo motivo, nella relazione del 2013 sulla cittadinanza dell'Unione, la Commissione si è impegnata ad affrontare il problema.
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Today we are doing our part of the job.
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Oggi stiamo facendo la nostra parte:
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We are calling on Member States to show greater flexibility and are issuing proportionate guidance to the five countries concerned so that citizens can get back on the electoral roll of their home country.
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invitiamo gli Stati membri a dar prova di maggiore flessibilità e pubblichiamo adeguati orientamenti destinati ai cinque paesi interessati, affinché i cittadini possano essere reinseriti nelle liste elettorali del proprio paese di origine.
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I hope Member States will be ready to address these very concrete concerns, because disenfranchisement is a big deal for the individuals concerned.”
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Auspico che gli Stati membri siano pronti ad affrontare queste reali preoccupazioni, dato che la limitazione del diritto di voto rappresenta un problema serio per i cittadini coinvolti.".
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Five EU countries currently have national rules leading to a loss of national voting rights as a result of periods spent residing abroad (Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom).
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In cinque paesi dell'UE (Danimarca, Irlanda, Cipro, Malta e Regno Unito) vigono attualmente norme nazionali che comportano una perdita del diritto di voto a livello nazionale a seguito di periodi di permanenza all'estero.
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The rules vary considerably, with Cypriot citizens losing their vote if they have not resided in Cyprus six months prior to an election, while British citizens need to have been registered to vote at an address in the UK for the last 15 years (see overview in the Annex).
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Le norme variano notevolmente: i cittadini ciprioti perdono il diritto di voto se non hanno risieduto a Cipro nei sei mesi precedenti un'elezione e i cittadini britannici devono aver risieduto nel Regno Unito nei quindici anni precedenti per mantenere il diritto di voto (cfr. sintesi in allegato).
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There are other Member States which allow their EU nationals to maintain the right to vote under certain conditions, such as Austria, which requires overseas citizens to periodically renew their registration on the electoral roll, or Germany, which requires citizens to be familiar with and affected by national politics.
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Altri Stati membri consentono ai propri cittadini di mantenere il diritto di voto a determinate condizioni, come l'Austria che richiede ai cittadini residenti all'estero di rinnovare periodicamente l'iscrizione alle liste elettorali o la Germania che impone ai cittadini di conoscere e approfondire la politica nazionale o di aver risieduto in Germania per almeno tre mesi negli ultimi 25 anni.
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The main justification for disenfranchisement rules – that citizens living abroad no longer have sufficient links with their home country – seems outdated in today’s interconnected world.
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Nel mondo interconnesso di oggi sembra superata la principale giustificazione a favore delle norme che limitano il diritto di voto, ovvero il fatto che i cittadini residenti all'estero non hanno più sufficienti legami con il proprio paese d'origine.
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Today’s guidance issued by the Commission aims to tackle the problem in a proportionate way by inviting Member States to:
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Gli orientamenti pubblicati oggi dalla Commissione intendono affrontare il problema in modo adeguato, invitando gli Stati membri a:
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- Enable their nationals who make use of their right to free movement in the EU to retain their right to vote in national elections if they demonstrate a continuing interest in the political life of their country, including by applying to remain on the electoral roll;
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- consentire ai propri cittadini che si avvalgono del diritto alla libera circolazione nell'UE di mantenere il diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali, se continuano a dimostrare interesse per la vita politica del proprio paese, ad esempio chiedendo di rimanere iscritti alle liste elettorali;
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- When allowing nationals resident in another Member State to apply to keep their vote, ensure that they can do so electronically;
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- assicurarsi che i cittadini residenti in un altro Stato membro che chiedono di mantenere il diritto di voto possano farlo in modalità elettronica;
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- Inform citizens in a timely and appropriate way about the conditions and practical arrangements for retaining their right to vote in national elections.
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- informare i cittadini in tempo utile e in modo adeguato circa le condizioni e le modalità pratiche per mantenere il diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali.
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Examples
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Esempi
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A Danish couple moved to Poland to work there, whilst their daughter stayed in Denmark to finish her studies.
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Una coppia danese si trasferisce in Polonia per lavoro, mentre la figlia rimane in Danimarca per completare gli studi.
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They often go back to Copenhagen to see their family and friends and remain closely tuned in to political and social developments in Denmark where they intend to return eventually.
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La coppia rientra spesso a Copenaghen per incontrare familiari e amici e continua a seguire gli sviluppi politici e sociali in Danimarca, dove intendono tornare in futuro.
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However, they cannot vote in national elections, as Danish citizens leaving the country are only allowed to remain on the electoral rolls if they intend to return within two years.
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Tuttavia, essi non possono votare alle elezioni nazionali, poiché i cittadini danesi che lasciano il paese possono rimanere iscritti alle liste elettorali solo se intendono tornare in Danimarca entro due anni.
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A British pensioner moved to France after he retired but remains in close contact with friends and family back in the UK.
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Un cittadino britannico si è trasferito in Francia dopo il pensionamento, ma rimane in stretto contatto con amici e familiari nel Regno Unito.
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He still owns a flat in the UK and follows political developments there through current affairs programmes on British radio and TV, widely available in other EU countries.
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Possiede tuttora un appartamento nel Regno Unito e segue gli sviluppi politici attraverso i programmi di attualità trasmessi da radio e televisioni britanniche, ampiamente disponibili in altri paesi dell'UE.
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However, 15 years after retiring, he can no longer vote in British national elections.
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Tuttavia, a 15 anni dal pensionamento, egli non può più votare alle elezioni nazionali britanniche.
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Background
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Contesto
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EU citizenship gives EU citizens the rights to vote and stand as candidates in local and European elections in their EU country of residence under the same conditions as nationals.
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La cittadinanza dell'UE riconosce ai cittadini dell'Unione il diritto di voto e di eleggibilità alle elezioni locali ed europee nel paese UE di residenza alle stesse condizioni dei cittadini del paese stesso.
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However, these rights do not extend to national elections, and – in the 13 Member States where regions are vested with legislative capacities – the regional elections.
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Tuttavia, questi diritti non sono estesi alle elezioni nazionali e regionali (nei tredici Stati membri in cui le regioni hanno poteri legislativi).
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In the 2010 EU Citizenship Report, the Commission identified the issue of ‘disenfranchisement’ as a problem for EU citizens making use of their free movement rights and launched a discussion on possible solutions.
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Nella relazione 2010 sulla cittadinanza dell'Unione, la Commissione ha riconosciuto che la questione della "perdita del diritto di voto" è un problema per i cittadini dell'UE che si avvalgono del diritto alla libera circolazione e ha avviato un dibattito sulle possibili soluzioni.
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On 19 February 2013, the European Parliament and the Commission held a joint hearing on EU citizenship.
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Il 19 febbraio 2013 il Parlamento europeo e la Commissione hanno organizzato un'audizione comune sulla cittadinanza europea.
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Participants, including citizens affected, civil society representatives, Members of the European Parliament and experts underlined the need to reassess existing policies that disenfranchise citizens — and the justifications underpinning them — in the light of current developments towards more inclusive democratic participation within the EU.
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I partecipanti, tra cui cittadini interessati, rappresentanti della società civile, deputati al Parlamento europeo ed esperti, hanno sottolineato la necessità di riesaminare le politiche vigenti che limitano il diritto di voto dei cittadini e le giustificazioni su cui si basano alla luce degli attuali sviluppi verso una partecipazione democratica più inclusiva nell'UE.
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In, addition, in a recent Eurobarometer on electoral rights, two thirds of respondents thought that it was not justified that they lose their right to vote in national elections in their country of origin simply because they reside in another EU country.
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Inoltre, in una recente indagine di Eurobarometro sui diritti elettorali, due terzi degli intervistati ha ritenuto che la perdita del diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali nel proprio paese non fosse giustificata dal semplice fatto di risiedere in un altro paese dell'UE.
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The 2013 EU Citizenship Report set out 12 concrete ways to help Europeans make better use of their EU rights, from looking for a job in another EU country to ensuring stronger participation in the democratic life of the Union.
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La relazione 2013 sulla cittadinanza dell'Unione, individua infatti 12 azioni concrete per aiutare gli europei a fare un uso migliore dei loro diritti, dalla ricerca di lavoro in un altro Stato membro alla partecipazione alla vita democratica.
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The Commission committed in the report to working on constructive ways to enable EU citizens to keep their right to vote in national elections in their country of origin.
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Nella relazione la Commissione si è impegnata a operare in modo costruttivo per consentire ai cittadini dell'UE di mantenere il diritto di voto alle elezioni nazionali nel proprio paese di origine. |
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
Disenfranchisement: Commission acts to defend voting rights of EU citizens
abroad
The European Commission has today issued guidance to EU-Member States which
have rules in place leading to a loss of voting rights for citizens in national
elections, simply because they have exercised their right to free movement in
the EU.
Five Member States (Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom)
currently apply regimes which have that effect.
Whilst under the existing EU Treaties, Member States are competent to
determine who can benefit from the right to vote in national elections,
disenfranchisement practices can negatively affect EU free movement rights.
Disenfranchisement practices are also at odds with the founding premise of EU
citizenship which is meant to give citizens additional rights, rather than
depriving them of rights.
"The right to vote is one of the fundamental political rights of citizenship.
It is part of the very fabric of democracy.
Depriving citizens of their right to vote once they move to another EU
country is effectively tantamount to punishing citizens for having exercised
their right to free movement.
Such practices risk making them second-class citizens," said Vice-President
Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner.
"In letters, petitions and citizens' dialogues, citizens have made clear to
us just how important this issue is to them.
This is why, in the 2013 EU Citizenship Report, the Commission made a pledge
to address the matter.
Today we are doing our part of the job.
We are calling on Member States to show greater flexibility and are issuing
proportionate guidance to the five countries concerned so that citizens can get
back on the electoral roll of their home country.
I hope Member States will be ready to address these very concrete concerns,
because disenfranchisement is a big deal for the individuals concerned."
Five EU countries currently have national rules leading to a loss of national
voting rights as a result of periods spent residing abroad (Denmark, Ireland,
Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom).
The rules vary considerably, with Cypriot citizens losing their vote if they
have not resided in Cyprus six months prior to an election, while British
citizens need to have been registered to vote at an address in the UK for the
last 15 years (see overview in the Annex).
There are other Member States which allow their EU nationals to maintain the
right to vote under certain conditions, such as Austria, which requires overseas
citizens to periodically renew their registration on the electoral roll, or
Germany, which requires citizens to be familiar with and affected by national
politics.
The main justification for disenfranchisement rules – that citizens living
abroad no longer have sufficient links with their home country – seems outdated
in today’s interconnected world.
Today’s guidance issued by the Commission aims to tackle the problem in a
proportionate way by inviting Member States to:
- Enable their nationals who make use of their right to free movement in the
EU to retain their right to vote in national elections if they demonstrate a
continuing interest in the political life of their country, including by
applying to remain on the electoral roll;
- When allowing nationals resident in another Member State to apply to keep
their vote, ensure that they can do so electronically;
- Inform citizens in a timely and appropriate way about the conditions and
practical arrangements for retaining their right to vote in national elections.
Examples
A Danish couple moved to Poland to work there, whilst their daughter stayed
in Denmark to finish her studies.
They often go back to Copenhagen to see their family and friends and remain
closely tuned in to political and social developments in Denmark where they
intend to return eventually.
However, they cannot vote in national elections, as Danish citizens leaving
the country are only allowed to remain on the electoral rolls if they intend to
return within two years.
A British pensioner moved to France after he retired but remains in close
contact with friends and family back in the UK.
He still owns a flat in the UK and follows political developments there
through current affairs programmes on British radio and TV, widely available in
other EU countries.
However, 15 years after retiring, he can no longer vote in British national
elections.
Background
EU citizenship gives EU citizens the rights to vote and stand as candidates
in local and European elections in their EU country of residence under the same
conditions as nationals.
However, these rights do not extend to national elections, and – in the 13
Member States where regions are vested with legislative capacities – the
regional elections.
In the 2010 EU Citizenship Report, the Commission identified the issue of
‘disenfranchisement’ as a problem for EU citizens making use of their free
movement rights and launched a discussion on possible solutions.
On 19 February 2013, the European Parliament and the Commission held a joint
hearing on EU citizenship.
Participants, including citizens affected, civil society representatives,
Members of the European Parliament and experts underlined the need to reassess
existing policies that disenfranchise citizens — and the justifications
underpinning them — in the light of current developments towards more inclusive
democratic participation within the EU.
In, addition, in a recent Eurobarometer on electoral rights, two thirds of
respondents thought that it was not justified that they lose their right to vote
in national elections in their country of origin simply because they reside in
another EU country.
The 2013 EU Citizenship Report set out 12 concrete ways to help Europeans
make better use of their EU rights, from looking for a job in another EU country
to ensuring stronger participation in the democratic life of the Union.
The Commission committed in the report to working on constructive ways to
enable EU citizens to keep their right to vote in national elections in their
country of origin.
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