14/02/2013 00:00
TW
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Palma.—Europeos por España held its Annual General Meeting on 6th February at Círculo Mallorquín in Palma.
After the report of activities for 2012, the projects for year 2013 were presented.
The objective of the Association is to achieve for the European residents the same rights and obligations as local citizens of the Baleares.
At the A.G.M. committee members for 2013 were voted in. Kate Mentink was re-elected as President and Will Besga and John Lambourne as Vice-Presidents.
Young association
Europeos por España is a young association, started in 2008, but it works hard to involve EU citizens living in Baleares in local politics here in the Balearic Islands, and at national and European level.

According to the 2012 census, there are 133.614 UE residents in the Balearic Islands.
The nationalities most highly represented on the official census are Germany with 36.727 citizens, United Kingdom with 23.773, Italy with 18.371 and Romania with 14.209 citizens.

Europeos por España President, Kate Mentink, described 2012 as a year of “ups and downs”, but in which a great deal of progress was made in finding a solution for some of the difficulties that European residents have with the regional Administration paperwork.

For instance, renewing the residence card has become easier and quicker thanks to the efforts of the association together with the Extranjería Department.

The next Committee meeting will take place on the 20th of February, when the Association will establish a plan for taking advantage of the celebration of the “European Year of Citizens 2013”.

Europeos por España aims to promote citizenship participation in their town or region of residence.
Right to vote
One of the main objectives is the right to vote in the local and regional elections in the country of residence.
All resident citizens who want to vote in the European Parliament Elections in 2014 will have to be registered by the end of 2013 if they want to have the right to participate.

This non- profit making association works for the political and social integration of European residents in Baleares.