232 www.hrmars.com/journals European Union Citizenship – Ground of an Active Democracy

ABSTRACT The process of European integration generated a new legal order, European Union, to the profit of which the Member State have limited their sovereign rights and of which the subjects are not only the states but also their nationals, according to the decision issued by European Court of Justice in the case law Van Gend & Loos. The normative changes from Maastricht to Lisbon treaties refer to a new view of sovereignty, self-determination and rights of individuals and it purposes to strengthen the citizens ’ feeling of belonging to the European Union. The analysis of the regulation on The European citizens ' initiative (ECI) as introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, reveals that the a million citizens from seven member states are allowed to change the EU legislation, having the support of European Commission. KEY WORDS EU citizenship, transnational citizenship, citizens ’ rights, active democracy, European citizens ' initiativ