Thanks to EU citizenship – which was introduced by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993 and celebrates its 20th birthday this year – all nationals of the EU Member States have a set of additional rights as EU citizens. These include the right to move and live freely in the EU, to vote and stand in local and European elections in the EU country they live in, the right to consular protection abroad under the same conditions as nationals when their own country is not represented and the right to petition the European Parliament, apply to the European Ombudsman and address the EU institutions.

193. Recalls that the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht introduced the concept of ‘citizenship of the Union’, conferring on every citizen of the Union the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Union, the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections and in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State in which he or she resides, protection by the diplomatic or consular authorities of any Member State, the right to petition the European Parliament and to apply to the European Ombudsman, and a series of rights in various fields such as the free movement of goods and services, consumer protection ...[+++]and public health, equal opportunities and equal treatment, and access to employment and to social protection; notes that the Treaties of Amsterdam (1997) and Lisbon (2009) further strengthened the rights associated with Union citizenship;

187. Recalls that the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht introduced the concept of ‘citizenship of the Union’, conferring on every citizen of the Union the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Union, the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections and in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State in which he or she resides, protection by the diplomatic or consular authorities of any Member State, the right to petition the European Parliament and to apply to the European Ombudsman, and a series of rights in various fields such as the free movement of goods and services, consumer protection ...[+++]and public health, equal opportunities and equal treatment, and access to employment and to social protection; notes that the Treaties of Amsterdam (1997) and Lisbon (2009) further strengthened the rights associated with Union citizenship;

193. Recalls that the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht introduced the concept of ‘citizenship of the Union’, conferring on every citizen of the Union the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Union, the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections and in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State in which he or she resides, protection by the diplomatic or consular authorities of any Member State, the right to petition the European Parliament and to apply to the European Ombudsman, and a series of rights in various fields such as the free movement of goods and services, consumer protection ...[+++]and public health, equal opportunities and equal treatment, and access to employment and to social protection; notes that the Treaties of Amsterdam (1997) and Lisbon (2009) further strengthened the rights associated with Union citizenship;

The Court points out that, according to settled case‑law , entitlement to paid annual leave must be regarded as a particularly important principle of EU social law, a principle expressly enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

In Canada, several judges and arbitrators have had to analyze laws and collective agreements that did not recognize same sex spouses, thus denying these people the spousal rights and benefits provided under these statutory instruments.