Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Relations with other EU bodies

On 22 March 2023 in the frame of the workshop organised by the Committee on Petition on “The impact of climate change on social security and the most vulnerable groups’, the Head of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation of the European Environment Agency spoke on “Social preparedness for current and future climate risks”.

On 24 May 2023 in the frame of the workshop organised by the Committee on Petition on “The state of implementation of the Habitats Directive”, a nature and biodiversity expert at the European Environment Agency intervened in the session “How to promote full compliance by Member States of the Habitats Directive?”.

On 20 September 2023, the Committee on Petitions organised an Interparliamentary Committee Meeting with a focus on the Cooperation with the Committees on Petitions in national Parliaments - Exchanging best practices and reflecting on new approaches and in the Panel 1 on “The right to petitions, Parliaments rules, procedures and practices” several Members of National Parliaments took the floor, in particular a Member of Spanish Senate, a member of Belgian Federal Parliament. In the second Panel titled “Best Practices And New Approaches To The Right To Petition National Parliaments’ Point Of View” some National Members intervened, among others, one Member of Italian Chamber, one Member of German Bundestag, one member of the French Senate and one Member of the Polish Sejm.

On 24 October 2023, the Committee on Petitions organised a public hearing on “A reflection on the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions and the petitions’ systems of third countries” and in this frame several Members of the extra EU National Parliaments intervened. In particular, two representatives of the House of Commons of Canada presented “An analysis of the legal, institutional and procedural framework governing the petitions’ system in Canada”, followed by a member of Federal Senate of Brazil who analysed ‘the legal, institutional and procedural framework governing the petitions’ system in Brazil’. In the second panel of the hearing, one member of the Norwegian Parliament analysed ‘The legal, institutional and procedural framework governing the petitions’ system in Norway”.

On 29 November 2023, a representative of the Fundamental Rights Agency took the floor in the first panel of the annual workshop on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Fact-finding visits

In 2023, the Committee on Petitions organised four fact-finding visits.

The committee organised a fact-finding visit to Romania (Bucharest, Sfântu Gheorghe and Suceava), from 15 to 18 May 2023, on the management and the protection of the brown bear population as raised in Petitions Nos 1188/2019, 1214/2019, 0685/2020, 0534/2021, 0410/2022 and the illegal logging in the country, petitions Nos. 1248/2019, 0408/2020, 0722/2020 and1056/2021. The aim of the mission was to collect as much information as possible on the two subjects of interest, to establish facts and to seek solutions. In this regard, the delegation met various interlocutors, such as national and regional authorities, petitioners, NGOs, environmental activists, as well as representatives of academia and. Following rich exchanges, Members acquired first-hand information and knowledge about the challenges related to the management and the protection of the brown bear population and to the illegal logging and the fight against it in Romania.

From 13 June to 15 June 2023, two Members of the Committee on Petitions participated in a joint ad hoc EMPL, LIBE and PETI delegation to the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD COSP), which took place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. Members participating in the delegation took part in several official sessions of the Conference, side events (including one organised by the EP), as well as in a series of bilateral meetings with UN officials, European and non-European governmental and non-governmental organisations, working for the realisation of the rights of persons with disabilities. The main purpose of the delegation was to build on the well-established contacts of the previous year and to highlight and guarantee Parliament’s oversight in the implementation and monitoring of the UN CRPD, within the “Team Europe” cooperation.

A fact-finding visit was organised to the region of Donegal (Ireland) from 30 October to 1 November 2023 on the use of defective mica blocks in construction in Ireland, an alleged non-compliance with the EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) and on the protection of homeowners as raised on Petitions Nos. 0789/2021, 0790/2021, 0799/2021, 0800/2021, 0801/2021, 0813/2021, 0814/2021 and 0837/2021.During the mission, the delegation was made aware of the large scale and complexity of the challenges related to the use of defective building blocks in construction in Ireland, with significant health, financial and social consequences.

Between 18 and 20 December 2023, the Committee on Petitions conducted a fact-finding visit to Catalonia (Spain) with the aim of assessing in situ the language immersion model in Catalonia, its impact on families moving to and residing in the region as well as on multilingualism and non-discrimination and the principle of the Rule of Law as raised on petitions Nos. 0858/2017, 0650/2022 and 0826/2022. The objective of this fact-finding visit was to investigate the claims made in the petitions, establish facts, seek solutions and establish a dialogue with regional authorities to obtain a better insight into various aspects concerning the language immersion model in Catalonia. The mission has enabled the Committee to gain a better understanding of the model’s impact on families moving to and residing in the region as well as on multilingualism, non-discrimination and compliance with international and EU law.

Public Hearings

In 2023, the Committee on Petitions organised four public hearings, partly jointly with other parliamentary committees. The public hearings covered a wide range of subject raised in petitions.

On 28 February 2023, the Committee on Petitions hosted a public hearing on the “language immersion model in Catalonia, Spain”. The hearing was organised as follow up on several petitions (Nos. 0858/2017and 0650/2022) on the impact of full immersion in Catalan at schools and covered four main themes: the compatibility between European regulations and case law and the linguistic model in Catalonia, the impact of linguistic immersion in Catalonia on the school performance of students whose mother tongue is Spanish, the Catalan linguistic-cultural model and the linguistic immersion in Catalonia, respect for secular bilingualism in Catalonia and compatibility with the linguistic conjunction model.

On 24 May 2023, the Committee on Petitions held, in association with the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, a public hearing entitled “The state of implementation of the Habitats Directive”. Following a significant number of petitions received alleging the breach of the Habitats Directive, the hearing aimed to take a closer look at how the Habitats Directive has being implemented and enforced in the Member States. It was organised in two sessions, and the experts invited, focused, in particular, on the following topics: implementation and infringement overview, implementation challenges and the infringement procedure as an efficient tool for the enforcement of the Habitats Directive. Furthermore, the speakers identified possible best practices to promote full compliance of Member States with the Habitats Directive.

On 18 July 2023, the Committee on Petitions held, in association with the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, a public hearing on: ‘Schengen Borders: - issues raised by petitioners’. On the basis of several petitions Nos. 0428/2020, 0653/2020, 0227/2022, 0719/2022, 0004/2023 and 0037/2023 the hearing aimed at giving voice to citizens’ concerns over the reintroduction of border checks between some Member States (e.g. Denmark and Sweden, Denmark and Germany), thus limiting the free movement of persons within the EU. It also touched upon other aspects such as the strengths and the weaknesses, the extension of the Schengen area, as well as the costs of Non-Schengen. The exchanges were organised in two panels, with the first focusing on the historical background and the current state of play of the Schengen area and the second on the issue of reintroduced border controls within the Schengen area. The Commission pointed out the ongoing dialogue with the Member States and the review of the Schengen Borders Code and stressed that the enlargement of the Schengen area remains a priority.

On 24 October 2023, the Committee held the public hearing ‘A reflection on the EP Committee on Petitions and the petitions’ systems of third countries’. The hearing focused on the analysis and comparison of the EU petitions’ system and the petitions’ systems of selected non-European countries with shared democratic values, namely Canada, Brazil and Norway. The aim was to exchange best practices that could inspire the EU petitions’ system to become more efficient and closer to the citizens and to gather evidence on how citizens can bring forward their concerns through petitions. The experts analysed the legal, procedural and institutional framework governing the Canadian, Brazilian and Norwegian petitions’ systems, as well as the differences with the EU system concerning the submission, admissibility, examination and closure of petitions.

Workshops

In 2023, the Committee on Petitions organised three workshops covering subject-matters raised in petitions.

On 25 January 2023, the Committee on Petitions held a workshop on “Transparency of pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products”. The workshop discussed transparency from the perspective of patients/consumers, producers of medicinal products, and academic research. The discussions focused on research and development costs of companies and information available on the actual prices paid for medicines. The exchanges concluded that without full transparency on these issues, any discussion on fair medicine prices and access to medicinal products remains highly difficult.

On 22 March 2023, the Committee on Petitions hosted a workshop on “The impact of climate change on social security and the most vulnerable groups”. The workshop focused on the effects of climate change on vulnerable groups in society, such as the elderly, low-income families, and people with disabilities. It also looked into the role attribution science - an area of science that aims to determine which extreme weather events can be explained by or linked to climate change - can play in helping develop (social) policies for the future.

On 29 November 2023, the Committee on Petitions held its “Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, during the first European Parliament’s Disability Rights Week. The workshop focused on two themes: coping with the cost-of-living crisis and on inclusive communication. The first panel looked into the situation of persons with disabilities in the context of recent crises (COVID-19 pandemic, energy crisis and rising inflation) and discussed proposals for measures to overcome obstacles. The second panel debated the European institutions’ efforts to ensure effective communication with and about persons with disabilities, both internally and in their relations with citizens.

Studies

In 2023, the committee heard the presentations of the following studies commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at its request:

- Study on ‘FATCA legislation and its application at international and EU level: - An Update’ on 25 January 2023. Professor C. Garbarino described the most relevant developments in the period 2018-2022 in chronological order and drew conclusions, which include a systemic view of the institutional dynamics, a provisional legal analysis on the basis of existing rules and policy suggestions.

- Study on “Environmental Crime affecting EU financial interest, the economic recovery and the EU’s green deal objectives”, presented by Prof. Dr Michael G. Faure (Professor of comparative and international environmental law at Maastricht University and Professor of comparative private law and economics at Erasmus School of Law in Rotterdam) and Dr. Kévine Kindji, (Research fellow at at the Maastricht European Institute for Transnational Legal Research (METRO) at Maastricht University) on 25 January 2023. The study suggested that despite commendable efforts, the transnational nature of environmental crime and its convergence with organised crime, money laundering and corruption, have not been adequately integrated into current reforms. It concluded that a proper categorization of environmental crime as a ‘serious crime’ was needed as an essential basis for policy reforms;

- Study on ‘The boundaries of the Commission’s discretionary powers when handling petitions and potential infringements of EU law’, presented by Prof. Armin Cuyvers (Leiden University) on 26 April 2023. The study analysed the legal limits on the discretion of the Commission when deciding to launch, or not to launch, an infringement action, especially in response to a petition. In addition, it assessed how the Commission uses this discretion in practice, and formulates recommendations on improved political collaboration between the European Parliament and the Commission, in the interest of EU citizens;

- Study on “Cross-Border Legal Recognition of Parenthood in the EU”, presented by Professor Alina Tryfonidou (Neapolis University) on 17 July 2023. It examined the problem of non-recognition of parenthood between Member States and its causes, the current legal framework and the (partial) solutions it offers to this problem, the background of the Commission proposal, and the text of the proposal. It also provides for a critical assessment of the proposal and issues policy recommendations for its improvement;

- Study on “Compensation for Victims of climate change disasters”, presented by Professor Michael Faure (Maastricht University and Erasmus Universit), on 18 July 2023. The study outlined the dangers and effects of climate change in the EU, as well as the EU policies and mechanisms to deal with climate change disasters. It also analysed the types of compensation available to victims of climate change disasters in the EU and in a representative selection of Member States and formulated several policy recommendations;

- Study on “Homelessness in the European Union” presented by Professor Eoin O’Sullivan, (Trinity College) on 30 November 2023. The study insisted on the need to change systems that respond to homelessness as an issue of individual dysfunction and inadequacy, to systems that actually end homelessness. Public policy should aim to prevent homelessness in the first instance. It highlighted that the duration of homelessness should be minimised by rapidly providing secure, affordable housing, in order to reduce further experiences of homelessness, decrease costly emergency accommodation, and alleviate trauma associated with homelessness.

In addition, in the frame of the Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 29 November 2023, the following study has been presented by Magdi Birtha (European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research):

- Study on “Targeted measures for persons with disabilities to cope with the cost-of-living crisis”. The study analysed the impact of the ongoing cost-of-living and energy crises on the standard of living for persons with disabilities. Based on available evidence, it provided for an overview on legislation, policy measures and schemes that support persons with disabilities and their families to cope with the rising cost of living at EU level and in selected Member States.

Key issues

Internal Market

It is worth noting the high increase in 2023 in the number of petitions on internal market issues. This rise is in large part due to a high number of petitions submitted on the situation of the beach concessions in Italy in particular on alleged non-compliance with Directive 2006/123/EC on liberalisation of services (‘Bolkestein Directive’). A second major topic is related to the citizens’ concerns over the reintroduction of border checks between some Member States (e.g. Denmark and Sweden, Denmark and Germany), thus limiting the free movement of persons within the EU and other aspects such as the strengths and the weaknesses, the extension of the Schengen area, as well as the costs of Non-Schengen in particular for Romania and Bulgaria.

The Committee adopted a short motion of resolution on the Accession to the Schengen area on 27 June 2023 and organised a public hearing on Schengen Borders: - issues raised by petitioners on 18 July 2023.

Fundamental Rights

Still in 2023, the committee received a high number of petitions on fundamental rights, including alleged breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation in different EU countries and on the respect of the rule of law and democracy.

In addition, the Committee continued to receive petitions on the violation of the human rights in several third countries and a series of petitions on the fundamental rights of LGBT-EU citizens.

Other relevant topic concerned the homelessness in the EU, how to deal with this sensitive issue and a study has been presented on November 2023, insisting on the need to change systems that respond to homelessness as an issue of individual dysfunction and inadequacy, to systems that actually end homelessness, with a new role of the public sectors.

Environmental issues

In 2023, environmental issues remained high in citizens’ concerns and the committee paid paramount attention to them. The protection of the environment was discussed in almost all committee meetings, on the basis of petitions. Topics such as protection of wildlife and forest policy within the EU have been discussed as well as alleged breaches of the Habitats Directive in some Member States.

The Committee exanimated also petitions on the protection of the quality of groundwater resources against chemical environmental pollution and on control of the air pollution and air quality safeguarding of the health of the population concerned.

In addition, the committee held fact-finding visit to Romania (Bucharest, Sfântu Gheorghe and Suceava), in relation to several petitions that raised some issues as the management and the protection of the brown bear population and the illegal logging in the country.

Other topics submitted to the attention of the PETI committee have concerned alleged breaches of EU environmental law and the new dimension of the climate change. In this frame, the Committee on Petitions held a workshop on the impact of climate change on social security and the most vulnerable groups on March 2023 and in its meeting of July 2023, a study on Compensation for victims of climate change disasters has been presented and discussed.

The animal welfare became a relevant topic in 2023, with a series of petitions calling for a revision of the legislation on animal welfare and a specific legislation for the protection and management of companion, domestic and stray animals inside the EU. The Committee examined petitions against the cruel treatment of animals in different Member States and proposed to have a Commissioner specifically competent for the animal welfare issues.

Disability issues

The Committee on Petitions plays a specific protection role as regards compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) within the policymaking and legislative actions at EU level. Within this responsibility, the committee deals with petitions on disability issues. It is worth stressing that in 2023 the number of petitions on disability (22) slightly decreased in comparison with 2022 but almost doubled as compared to 2021 (28 in 2022 and 13 in 2021). In 2023, the committee continued examining petitions on disability revealing that the main challenges remain discrimination, access to education and employment as well as inclusion. Special attention was given by the committee to Petition No 0822/2022 asking for the European Disability Statute to contemplate the rights of people with autism followed by the approval of a short motion of resolution on the same topic, Petition No 0756/2019 on an EU-wide disability card, Petition No 1056/2016 requesting the European Parliament allow for the tabling of petitions in national sign languages used in the EU as well as Petition No 0569/2023 on the accessibility of public transport for wheelchair users in Belgium.

From 13 June to 15 June 2023, the Committee on Petitions participated in a joint ad hoc EMPL, LIBE and PETI delegation to the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD COSP), which took place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. The main purpose of the delegation was to build on the well-established contacts of the previous year and to highlight and guarantee Parliament’s oversight in the implementation and monitoring of the UN CRPD, within the “Team Europe” cooperation. It gave the delegation the opportunity to exchange views and discussed how ensuring equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities and improve their digital accessibility.

Finally, on 29 November 2023, the Committee hosted the Annual Workshop on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, focusing in the first part on ‘Coping with the cost-of-living crisis’. where the situation of persons with disabilities in the face of recent crises has been presented (the energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, together with rising inflation) and some proposals for targeted measures to overcome obstacles have been discussed (EU funds, the European Social Fund Plus and temporary instruments, the Recovery and Resilience Funds (RRF)). In the second panel on ‘Inclusive communication’ the focus was on the efforts made by the European Institutions to ensure effective communication with and about persons with disabilities, both internally and in their relations with citizens.

Reports, Motions for Resolutions and Opinions

The Committee on Petitions worked intensely to adopt a considerable number of parliamentary files.

In 2023, the Committee on Petitions adopted three own initiative reports as follows:

- Report on the Activities of the European Ombudsman - Annual Report 2021” (2022/2141(INI)) PETI/9/10044 - Rapporteur: Anne Sophie Pelletier (GUE) - adopted on 28 February 2023;

- Report under Rule 227(7) on the Deliberations of the Committee on Petitions in 2022” (2023/2047(INI)) PETI/9/11741 - Rapporteur: Alex AGIUS SALIBA (S&D) - adopted on 24 October 2023;

- Report on the Activities of the European Ombudsman - Annual Report 2022” (2023/2120(INI)) PETI/9/12602 - Rapporteur: Peter JAHR (EPP) - adopted on 29 November 2023;

The Committee also adopted the following fact-finding visits mission reports:

- Report of the fact-finding visit to Poland 19-21 September 2022 PETI/9/11016 - adopted on 22 March 2023;

- Report of the fact-finding visit to Washington D.C. 18-22 July 2022 PETI/9/11015 adopted on 22 March 2023;