EU Citizenship Needs a Stronger Social Dimension and Soft Duties 191 interpreted as a branching out of EU citizenship from the internal to the external (i.e. extra-EU) sphere. According to some scholars, the external dimension remains today the only one in which citizenship continues to make a difference compared to mere legal residence.18 The external protection guaranteed by the Union to all its citizens as such would not only make the burgundy-coloured passport more consequential, but would also increase its symbolic value. As argued by Torpey, passport-based external protection can serve as an effective loyalty and bonding channel, for its capacity to ‘embrace’ movers as citizen-members of a political community.19 The Commission is currently studying a series of practical measures to make external protection of citizens more effective. A front along which this type of protection could be strengthened is the occurrence of terrorist attacks, in Europe and abroad. Italy already has a scheme for compensating (in the name of ‘solidarity’) the victims of terrorism and persons killed or injured in the line of duty. It might be a good idea to consider establishing a similar EU wide scheme, sending a signal of pan-European activism on a front – personal security – which is a fast growing popular concern. The salience of EU citizenship could be enhanced also by strengthening the existing social funds and creating new ones. During the last decade two new funds have been created: the Globalisation Adjustment Fund, providing resources to workers affected by plant restructuring or closure, and the Fund for European Aid to Deprived Persons, providing resources in case of extreme poverty. Benefits are not paid directly to recipients, but through local authorities – which must previously apply for assistance. The indirect character and the small budget of these funds greatly limit their public visibility and salience. At a minimum, the EU should seek some credit by prescribing to local authorities to clearly indicate the provenance of resources at the endpoints of the delivery chain. If an “EU social card” was in place, it could provide a tangible instrument for linking benefits and EU citizenship. In the wake of a proposal of the Italian government during its last EU presidency (following preparatory work by the Commission), the establishment of 18 19 Among others, Spiro, P. J. (2013), ‘The (Dwindling) Rights and Obligations of Citizenship’, William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal 21: 899, Temple University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2013-46, available at http:// scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmborj/vol21/iss3/6; Bosniak, L.S. (1998), ‘The Citizenship of Aliens’, Social Text 56: 29–35, Passports cannot be regarded merely as an instrument of government control. To use the words of the United States passport, the ‘passport is a valuable citizenship and identity document’. See Torpey, cited above ft. 14.