Prime Minister dialogues with youngsters from all the EU Member States. European Treaty is “the priority of the priorities”

 

The Treaty will be a sign of confidence in

Europe. A sign that it is stronger and growing “, told on Sunday morning the Prime Minister, José Sócrates, to 27 youngsters from each one of the Member States of the European Union.In this opening and symbolical act of the Portuguese Presidency. José Sócrates, addressing to the youngsters who he called “Europe generation”, considered the negotiation and the closing of the Treaty as “the priority of the priorities” of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (EU), which will be held by Lisbon’s Government until the end of this year.Informally dressed, with no tie and jeans, the Prime Minister, said at the joint dialogue that with the reformist Treaty, “less federalist”, that overcomes the unratified European Constitution, Europe “will be a bit better” and “will provide the European Union with better functioning tools”. He added “I’m not saying all the problems will be solved, but it will be certainly better”.The Prime Minister, from now on the President of the European Council, stressed that amongst the innovation of the Treaty, based on the mandate received at the Brussels Summit by the end of the German Presidency, there is the reference to the fundamental rights. “For the first time, there is a reference to the European citizenship, an issue that all the youngsters are sensitive to, which allows any person to reivindicate his/her rights at the European courts”, said.Another topic discussed were the climate change, a “struggle that Europe has to lead”. The future and the important contribution of the youngsters for education, knowledge and innovation, as well as the accession of Turkey to the EU, were not forgotten.

The youngsters at the meeting are mostly granters of scholarships within the Erasmus programme, allowing, from many years before, the exchange of students from Universities of several countries of the EU.

“Actief burgerschap”: taak of last?

Burgerschap lijkt een zegenrijk begrip in het huidige publieke debat. Veel discussies over welke rol de burger in ons bestel moet hebben, wordt besloten met de conclusie dat de burger meer burgerschap zou moeten vertonen of zijn burgerschapsplicht beter zou moeten invullen. Wat dat burgerschap vervolgens inhoudt, of welke plicht voortkomt uit het zijn van burger, wordt veelal niet geëxpliciteerd. De richting waarop is nog wel helder te krijgen: de burger moet meer betrokken zijn bij de publieke zaak. Maar ja, wat is dan de publieke zaak? Over de gedaante en de intensiteit van het ‘burgerzijn’ wordt daarentegen nauwelijks gesproken: wat is de precieze plicht die de burger moet vervullen en hoeveel meer burgerschap verwachten we? Wezenlijke kennisvereisten als we de burger ertoe aan willen zetten. Kortom, ‘burgerschap’ lijkt het hedendaagse onbestemde toevluchtsoord voor de eeuwenoude discussie over de rol van de burger.

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