Auditions
09-10-2018 16:30
Hearing on the rights of persons with disabilities
The Committee on Petitions each year receives a considerable number of petitions referring to difficulties encountered by people with disabilities in the EU in various fields, such as access to employment, education systems or public transport facilities.
The hearing presented the possibility to exchange views with experts, including representatives of the Fundamental Rights Agency and the European Commission, on the role the Committee on Petitions can play in protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, in the context of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Poster (IMAGE - 244 KB)
- Programme (PDF - 267 KB)
- Update of the Study on the protection role of the Committee on Petitions in the context of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Webstreaming
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Powerpoint Presentations and contributions of speakers
On 22 March, PETI and ENVI held a joint public hearing on the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on public health and the environment, due to the high number of petitions received on the topic. Members listened to experts from EU and national regulatory agencies, academia, and civil society. The hearing consisted of two panels, focusing on the specificities of the EU regulatory approval process for EDCs, and whether it could be conceived differently in the future.
- Poster (IMAGE - 416 KB)
- Agenda (PDF - 298 KB)
- Webstreaming
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Powerpoint Presentations and contributions of speakers
22-11-2017 14:30
Protection of the rights of workers in temporary or precarious employment
On 22 November 2017 from 14.30 to 18.30 in room ASP A3G-3, the Committee held a public hearing on the topic of the protection of the rights of workers in temporary or precarious employment. During the current legislature, the Committee on Petitions has received a significant number of petitions signalling concerns of citizens employed on a temporary basis or under precarious conditions, across the EU.
The hearing was divided into two panels. The first panel addressed working conditions in Europe in 2017 with panellists from different academic centres and think tanks, while the second panel focused on the legal and socio-economic impact of precarious or temporary types of contracts. During this part workers union's representatives, employers and petitioners took the floor.
Following the panels the floor was opened for a debate.
- Programme (PDF - 505 KB)
- Study "Temporary contracts, precarious employment, employees’ fundamental rights and EU employment law"
- Webstreaming
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Powerpoint Presentations and contributions of speakers
- Aristea Koukiadaki and Ioannis Katsaroumpas - Presentation (PDF - 510 KB)
- Isabella Bileta - Presentation (PDF - 1 MB)
- Iga Magda - Presentation (PDF - 807 KB)
- Rolf Gleissner - Presentation (PDF - 506 KB)
- Ian Hodson - Presentation (PDF - 291 KB)
- Vincenzo De Michele - Presentation (PDF - 1 MB)
- Michael Asbrook - Presentation (PDF - 765 KB)
22-06-2017 09:00
Restoring citizens' confidence and trust in the European Project
The Committee held a public hearing on the subject of restoring citizens’ trust in the European Project. Members heard from the European Ombudsman, Ms. Emily O'Reilly, and a range of experts, including representatives from the European Commission, NGOs (ECAS, ECI Campaign, Transparency International), academia (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), youth organisations (European Youth Forum), public policy think tanks (CEPS), and the media (European Broadcasting Union).
- Programme (PDF - 301 KB)
- Webstreaming
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Powerpoint Presentations and contributions of speakers
04-05-2017 09:00
Fighting against discrimination and protecting minorities
The hearing “Fighting against discrimination of EU citizens in the EU Member States and the protection of minorities” concerns petitioners alleging violation of some fundamental rights or denouncing the non-respect of the principles stated in the EU Charter, with particular reference to some grounds of discrimination mentioned sub Article 21.
The second part is focussed on some issues such as LGB family rights' recognition, the loss of EU citizenship or discrimination based on minority languages, as emerging from a relevant sample of open petitions concerning EU citizens. In this respect, the hearing may provide MEPs and petitioners practical actions and remedies for the more urgent priorities in the management of this kind of petitions.
Speakers originated from academic institutions, ECRML Committee of Experts in the Council of Europe, the EP legal service and the relevant DG in the EU Commission.
Contact and registration: peti-secretariat@europarl.europa.eu
11-10-2016 09:00
Hearing on Obstacles to EU citizen’s freedom to move and work in the Internal Market
The Committee on Petitions has lately received a considerable number of petitions alleging breaches of citizens' freedom to move and work in the Union. Participants to the hearing addressed the issues raised in the petitions notably on the basis of the analysis of some selected provisions of the Free Movement Directive in 9 Member States.
They focused on recognition of professional qualifications, the use of promissory notes, some consumers’ rights, and the portability of and access to social rights across the EU and will discuss possible improvements.
- Programme (PDF - 292 KB)
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Study: Obstacles to the right of free movement and residence for EU citizens and their families
- Study
- Country report for Belgium (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for France (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for Germany (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for Ireland (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for Italy (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for Poland (PDF - 1011 KB)
- Country report for Spain (PDF - 1016 KB)
- Country report for Sweden (PDF - 1 MB)
- Country report for UK (PDF - 1 MB)
21-06-2016 09:00
Transparency and freedom of information within the EU institutions
A public hearing on transparency and free access to information and documents was held by the Committee on Petitions. These issues were discussed with particular focus on environmental matters. The hearing was held on 21.06.16 with the participation of academics, representatives from civil society and from the European institutions.
The legal framework on transparency and practical aspects of its implementation were examined together with the issue of balancing transparency and confidentiality in the context of the EU institutions work.
- Agenda for hearing: Transparency and freedom of information within the EU institutions (PDF - 116 KB)
- Study "Openness, Transparency and the Right of Access to Documents in the EU"
- Briefing: The EU and The Aarhus Convention: Access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters
23-02-2016 00:00
Broadening the scope of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights (Article 51)?
Since the entry into force of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in December 2009 the Committee on Petitions has been receiving an ever increasing number of petitions, in which the petitioners alleging a violation of their fundamental rights are invoking the Charter as a legal basis.
This PETI hearing aims at discovering whether the protection granted to citizens' fundamental rights in the EU is in fact effective and to what extent citizens' expectations as expressed in petitions can indeed be satisfied under the present legal mechanism of protection.
Speakers will originate from academic institutions, the Court of Justice of the EU, a national Constitutional Court and competent EU institutions and agencies.
- Programme (DOCUMENT - 43 KB)
- Webstream
- Study on the interpretation of Article 51 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: the dilemma of stricter or broader application of the Charter to national measures
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Powerpoint Presentations and contributions of speakers
- Professor Eleanor SPAVENTA, Durham University (DOCUMENT - 263 KB)
- Professor Elise Muir, Associate Professor of EU law, Maastricht University (DOCUMENT - 28 KB)
- Mr András Jakab, Director of Institute for Legal Studies at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest (DOCUMENT - 62 KB)
- Professor Eleanor Sharpston, Advocate General, Court of Justice of the EU (DOCUMENT - 45 KB)
- Mr Justice Jiří Zemánek, Czech Constitutional Court (Ústavni Soud) - contribution (DOCUMENT - 45 KB)
- Mr Justice Jiří Zemánek, Czech Constitutional Court (Ústavni Soud) - presentation (DOCUMENT - 75 KB)
- Mr Graham Smith, Member of the European Ombudsman's cabinet (DOCUMENT - 73 KB)
- Dr. Gabriel Toggenburg, Senior Legal Advisor, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) (PDF - 51 KB)
15-10-2015 00:00
Protection of the rights of people with disabilities
The Committee on Petitions each year receives a considerable number of petitions referring to difficulties encountered by people with disabilities in the EU in various fields, such as access to employment, insurance, financing, education systems or public transport facilities. The hearing will present the possibility to exchange views with the experts on the role the Committee on Petitions plays in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Study on the protection role of the Committee on Petitions in the context of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PDF - 222 KB)
- Study on the protection role of the Committee on Petitions in the context of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Webstream to recorded event
23-06-2015 00:00
Public Hearing on the Right to Petition
The Hearing on the Right to Petition will provide a platform for discussion for Members, the general public and experts in the field on the petition process, cooperation with national and European authorities and future actions.
The first panel will address on the right to petition as a fundamental right , including the recent jurisprudence of the ECJ. The second panel will discuss impact of the PETI Committee on European law and policy making - including e-participation and e-democracy.