The European Union’s Citizenship Regime. Creating Norms and Building Practices Jane Jenson De´partement de Science Politique, Universite´ de Montre´al, Montre´al, Canada. E-mail: jane.jenson@umontreal.ca This article deploys the concept of citizenship regime to describe the citizenship norms and practices of the European Union (EU). The EU is, and has been since 1957, involved in building citizenship practices. The goal of the article is to reanimate discussions of European citizenship and to recapture them from the almost exclusive control of political philosophy and a focus on the standard liberal democratic model. Instead, it presents the European citizenship regime for what it is: a set of norms and practices in motion. Its characteristics are captured by analysing four dimensions of any citizenship regime: the responsibility mix; acquired rights and duties; governance; and belonging. On each dimension, current citizenship practices of Union citizenship are briefly described. When this is done, the EU is observed to be adjusting its borders and boundaries of citizenship. Comparative European Politics (2007) 5, 53–69. doi:10.1057/palgrave.cep.6110102 Keywords: union citizenship; European Union; social citizenship; citizenship regime Introduction This article deploys the concept of citizenship regime to describe fundamental norms and the citizenship practices of the European Union (EU). Its goal is to participate in efforts to reanimate discussions of European citizenship and to recapture them from the almost exclusive control of political philosophy and a focus on the standard liberal democratic model. We will see the European citizenship regime for what it is: a set of practices in motion. These involve fundamental norms, organizing principles and standardized procedures, as citizenship regimes have always done. European citizenship in context Citizenship in general and therefore European citizenship in particular is contested. As the 2005 debates about the draft Constitution made abundantly clear, norms and practices of social citizenship are as important to constitutional discourse in the EU as are matters of political rights, democracy and European identity. There is also contestation among academics in a range Comparative European Politics, 2007, 5, (53–69) r 2007 Palgrave Macmillan Ltd 1472-4790/07 $30.00 www.palgrave-journals.com/cep