European Union and Citizenship: Competition Aimed at All Young People in European Union

Mr Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner responsible for justice, freedom and security, launched a competition today - on European Union and citizenship.

Art and graphics students aged 16 or over who live in an EU Member State or have EU Member State nationality are invited to create a one-page comic strip, with no text, to illustrate the concept of citizenship in the European Union.

The aim of this competition is to enable all these young people to describe their own experience of living as citizens in the European Union.

In the words of Mr Barrot, "The concept of a citizen in the European Union, not just a citizen of the European Union, will enable us to involve actively in this project people who live in the European Union without necessarily being EU citizens, on the basis of a very broad definition of the citizenship concept.

If you think about the idea of citizenship in Europe, you actually get to the very heart of your existence within the EU", he added.

And he continued: "That's why, in the context of this competition today, I am suggesting to all art and graphics students of 16 or over that they create a comic strip that brings to life the concept of citizenship in the European Union."

Those who decide to take part in the competition will have to produce their own design for a one-page comic strip - with no words - illustrating the concept of citizenship in the European Union.