Are the rights of individual and Member States safeguarded in the EU?
• Rights The safeguarding of political liberties (i.e. freedom of expression, assembly, association, etc) is central to a democracy. Some have argued that each Member State provides adequate safeguards for citizen’s rights in the EU. However, since the EU acts as a supra-national level of governance it is important that the rights individual and Member States are protected. Rights in the EU The Maastricht Treaty (1992) introduced EU citizenship, creating multi-layered citizenship for nationals of Member States. The only way to enjoy the political, civil and economic rights of EU citizenship is by being a citizen of a Member State. EU citizenship does not replace national citizenship; it affords certain rights and protections with regards to Union institutions and when living in other EU Member States. Union institutions are obligated to treat all EU citizens equally, irrespective of nationality. EU citizenship affords its holders to vote in local and European elections regardless of th
