40In order to rule on the first head of complaint, it should be stated from the outset that citizenship of the Union is intended to be the fundamental status of nationals of the Member States (see, inter alia, Case C-184/99Grzelczyk [2001] ECR I-6193, paragraph 31; Case C-135/08Rottmann [2010] ECR I-1449, paragraph 43; and Case C-256/11Dereci and Others [2011] ECR I-11315, paragraph 62).