1. Exclusivity of the concept of
European Union citizenship
Who are the citizens of European Union? The concept of European Union citizenship is a
relatively undiscovered, still a very crucial theme when it comes to the functioning labor
markets in the European area. It is about time to discuss, should European Union
citizenship without national citizenship involved exist. Changing the concept of statutory
components, it is possible to get the labor market more efficient and flexible in the
European Union area. By benefitting the understanding of the conceptual context with its
features of inclusivity and exclusivity, it is more convenient to create functions for the
labor markets and to integrate the citizens to European Union.
Keywords
European Union, citizenship, Europe, labor market policies, privileges, migration
Aino Salmi
aino.salmi@jyu.fi
scoop.it/t/citizenship-
in-european-union
@estudianteuc3m
es.linkedin.com/in/
ainosalmi

2. Hypothesis
The concept of European Union citizenship excludes non-EU -citizens, which causes faults
especially in the labor markets of Europe. The people coming from non-European Union
countries to EU -countries do not enjoy the same privileges in the scope of working and
moving whilst living in the European Union area. That results in legal and indentifical
problems especially in the case of migrants and refugees in labor markets. The dilemma
hides especially in the distinctions how different EU -countries handle the potential
migrant workers.
New institutional theory
The new institutional theory concentrates on the profound aspects of social structures and
it goes beneath the surface of social behavior. New institutional theories focus on a
sociological view of institutions and on how the institutions shape the behaviour of human
beings. According to this theory point of view, a critical look at the institution, the
European Union citizenship, is justifiable. It is questionable, for what purposes this
institution is created for and for who.
Institutionalism is not a theory in a way we understand it, it is moreover an "organising
perspective". New institutionalism does not really ask for any specific theory, with this
approach it is possible to adapt various theories, what is substantial is to have a critical
stance. The most important institutions in the world have their subjective and objective
features. One of them, is certainly the institution of citizenship. (Marsh etc. 2002)
As an institution, the European Union citizenship doesn't appear as something to take for
granted. The concept is relatively new and more or less arguable. European citizenship
itself does not yet have an autonomous definition. Citizenship is still a vital instrument for
incorporation in European societies, but absorption of national and European Union
citizenship doesn't seem to work when it comes to the labor markets. With the new
institutional theory we can examine how this institution affects human behaviour.

3. Analysis
European Union citizenship is an unexampled project in the making. The unique way to
access the European Union citizenship is by having one of the member states nationality. It
causes a relatively paradoxical situation, when the person coming from a third country
with the same circumstances will be treated in a different way. Depending on the state, the
person entering the area can get the nationality and become a EU -citizen or be excluded
from nationality and European Union citizenship. The concept of European Union
citizenship was built excluding a large amount of third countries nationals that live within
its frontiers.
The concept of European Union citizenship at this form delivers problems of distribution
and legitimisation of civil, political and social entitlements to non-citizens resident within
the territory of EU member states. It is considerable to think, if the national citizenship still
is an essential organisational factor in European Union politics as a status that assigns
individuals to a particular political community and enables those who qualify as citizens
with exclusive rights and obligations. (Maarten 2003) The other question to discuss is, why
and to what extent the co-operation of autonomous states in the EU affects the domestic
organisation of extending rights to noncitizens.
Any person holding the nationality of a European Union country is automatically also a
EU -citizen. EU citizenship is additional to and does not replace national citizenship,
giving a European status a distinctively national foundation. It is for every EU -country to
lay down the conditions for the acquisition and loss of nationality of the country. (Maarten
2003)
Referring to Soysal (1995), to note that "national citizenship or a formal nationality is no
longer a significant construction in terms of how it translates into certain rights and
privileges", undervalues the difficulties experienced by third country migrant workers and
refugees who seek access to European labor markets and social welfare. (Maarten 2003)
The postnational model of citizenship emerges as migrants gain rights on the basis of
universal personhood, rendering national citizenship increasingly irrelevant. The main
grounds for the equal treatment of third country nationals are the association agreements
between the EU and third countries, for example the Agreement on the European

4. Economic are. The status of third country nationals has been on the agenda of European
policy-makers within a more optimistic track.
Europe has to consider pro-active migration policies and measures to identify future labor
and skills gaps. In the medium- and long-term the EU and its member states will have to
compete with other countries for attractive potential migrants. Might be that European
Union should develop a genuine interest in becoming both more attractive for highly
skilled migrants as well as more inclusive towards all employable migrants. (Münz 2008).
Citizenship is still a crucial instrument for incorporation in European societies. The limited
impact of European integration on national citizenship, arguably the result of aversion by
member states to do away with an essential aspect of the nation-state, however also
uncovers in more general terms the limits of European citizenship itself. It should be
emphasised that free movement is quite far from complete and unconditional under these
circumstances. European citizenship entails various good ideas for a more driven transition
to a post-national tableau and it can be the prototype for institutional experimentation on
citizenship on a global scale. EU citizenship has matured as an institution, owing to many
important interventions by the European Court of Justice and legislative initiatives, such as
the Citizenship Directive 2004/38/EC. (Konstakopoulou 2007)
Bibliography
Konstakopulou, D. (2007) "European Union Citizenship: Writing the Future". European
Law Journal, Vol. 13, No. 5, 623-646.
Maarten P. V. (2003): "Limits of European Citizenship: European Integration and
Domestic Immigration Policies". Constitutionalism Web-Papers, ConWEB, 4/2003.
Marsh, D., Stoker, G. (eds) (2002): Theory and Methods in Political Science. Great
Britain: Palgrave Macmillan.
Münz, R. (2008): "Migration, Labor Markets, and Integration of Migrants: An Overview
for Europe." Social Protection Discussion Paper, 0807.
Soysal, Y. (1995): Limits of Citizenship, Migrants and postnational membership in
Europe. Chigago: University of Chigago Press.