Many of our articles have focused on the different paths to acquiring Italian citizenship and have briefly touched upon the benefits of applying. However, it will be the aim of this article to provide you with a more thorough understanding of the advantages of being an Italian citizen and, consequently, of the European Union. It goes without saying that there is no “European citizenship” per se. In this sense, an individual can only be a citizen of a country which is a member of the EU.
But what is the European Union?
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union among 27 countries. Its formation dates back to 1950 when six countries, namely France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, created the European Coal and Steel Community – an economic agreement which aimed to help countries recover from the economic damage resulting from World War II. In the 1960s and 1970s the EU witnessed great economic growth, which led other countries to join. In the 1990s the EU continued to expand, and further and stronger economic and political ties resulted in the creation of a single market characterized by the free movement of goods, people, services and money. What began as a purely economic union gradually evolved into an intergovernmental and supranational organization that launched its own currency, delivered peace and stability among its member states, and promoted cooperation in a number of policy areas such as climate, the environment, health, external relations, justice and migration. As enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, “the Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society where pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail”. The EU’s efforts to promote peace, development and solidarity among its member states led to it being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012.
What are the benefits of being part of the EU?
Thanks to the free movement of people in the EU, Italian citizens can now live, work, study or retire in any EU member state. They also have the right to stand as candidates and to vote in elections for the European Parliament. On the other hand, member states are represented in the European Council and the Council of the EU.
Aside from sharing a sense of belonging to the European community, which has come with the awareness of being able to study, work and live anywhere in Europe without bureaucratic restraints and discrimination, being an Italian citizen and thus part of the EU is attractive for many reasons.
- As mentioned above, if you hold an Italian passport no visa is required to travel to any of the EU’s member states (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden). This has enabled people to travel freely across national boundaries, making trade and tourism easier and cheaper. The reason for this is because Europe’s high density of cities and smaller airports has acted as a natural advantage for the low-budget carriers, which offer tickets to smaller airports at a much lower cost because landing fees are less expensive.
- In addition to this, the EU protects its citizens’ personal data, it offers training and support for businesses and individuals (e.g. business networks and exchange schemes such as Erasmus), and it provides them with food and environmental conditions that meet some of the world’s highest quality standards.
- As far as education is concerned, many of the world’s best universities are located in Europe, and they offer thousands of study programs in English. Compared to countries like the US, Canada or Australia, the tuition fees at most universities in Europe are very low. Furthermore, thanks to the Bologna process of reforms, the national higher education systems of all European countries have been aligned. In other words, a Bachelor or Master degree in Europe will be recognized by any EU member state.
- With regards to employment, Europe is home to some of the world’s largest companies and innovative corporations which make it an attractive career destination. Working in Europe also offers a better work-life balance, and European countries provide numerous unemployment benefits and a number of social security schemes.
Finally, if an Italian citizen resides in another EU country, in principle, the health services in that country are free of charge, except for payment of a ticket or other cost contribution schemes which are provided by the national legislation in force. In the case of a temporary stay in another EU country, it is important to have a European Health Insurance Card which can be issued by the local health authority in Italy. As for foreign spouses of Italian citizens, in many EU Member States the law protects the right for a couple to be together. In essence, if a couple wants to move to Italy, by law, generally the non – Italian spouse will only be able to spend 3 months in Italy on a tourist visa. However, if the foreign spouse wishes to stay longer he/she can apply for a residency permit. The same applies if the couple want to move to another country in Europe as the foreign spouse will need to apply for a residence card and report his or her presence to the relevant authorities. For more information please click here.
If you are considering applying for Italian citizenship and you need information or help with determining whether you are eligible, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We will be happy to help you.
