Seville, … February 2010

European citizenship and voting rights for all residents

Dear friends,

We propose to take the opportunity of the Spanish presidency of the European Union to promote political rights of non-EU foreigners and, as a consequence, to take steps towards a more democratic construction of the Union. In an attachment to this letter, you will find a document requesting the modification of the Maastrich Treaty (in its current version after the Lisbon Treaty), in order to extend the established recognition of the European citizenship to all residents in the European Union, and to remove the requisite whereby it is necessary to be a national of a Member State.

With this amendment, every person living in a country within the Union would be able to participate in European and municipal elections, which would mean a first step towards a democratic and more inclusive European citizenship.

From APDHA (Andalusian Association for Human Rights), we invite you to endorse that document, which we will send to Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the current European Union president in turn, urging him to transmit this initiative to the last European Council that will take place under the Spanish presidency (on 17^th and 18^th June 2010 in Brussels). Likewise, we will spread this action in the public media.

This text will be sent to organizations fighting for the rights of citizens of foreign origin in other European Union countries.

We would appreciate that you spread the word about this action among the groups and associations that might be interested in it.

Thank you for your participation.

Best regards,

Carlos Arce Jimenez

Natalia García Caballos

APDHA’s immigration section coordinators