Who is a European?

A European is a native or inhabitant of Europe and a person of European descent.

Citizenship of the European Union is afforded to all citizens of member states of the European Union (EU). It was formally created with the adoption of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, at the same time as the creation of the EU. EU citizenship is additional to, as it does not replace, national citizenship.

The European culture is rooted in what is often referred to as its “common cultural heritage”. There are a great number of perspectives which can be taken on the subject, it is impossible to form a single, all-embracing conception of European culture. Nonetheless, there are core elements which are generally agreed upon as forming the cultural foundation of modern Europe:

A common cultural and spiritual heritage derived from Greco-Roman antiquity, Christianity, Judaism, the Renaissance and its Humanism, the political thinking of the Enlightenement, the French Revolution and the developments of Modernity;
A rich and dynamic material culture that has been extended to the other continents;
A specific conception of the individual expressed by the existence of, and respect for, a legality that guarantees human rights and the liberty of the individual;
Respect for peoples, states, and nations inside and outside Europe.

We have a lot of things in common, which bring us together and make us Europeans. We experience many different cultures within our continent, we try new food and get to know traditions of other European countries. Being European gives us opportunities to travel without a passport or visa and study abroad. We are a part of a bigger structure, we feel safe in the EU as we know that we can get help in every participant country. To be a European means also to share common values even if we are different within our countries. We ought to appreciate a diversity of our continent, see differences but cooperate closely. So, summarizing, being a European is not a nationality, it’s a feeling, a union between all the European countries based on a respect and collaboration.