The European Union is today confronted with a highly unstable world scenario that threatens its
very existence. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the conflict in Gaza that has now spread to
Lebanon, the emergence of an axis between major powers governed by undemocratic and illiberal
regimes and Trump’s election as President of the United States in 2024, which might raise
nationalistic attitudes and strong protectionist measures, are all signs that a stronger European
Union capable of speaking with one voice and to act is urgently needed.
The 2024 Reports by Enrico Letta, Mario Draghi and Sauli Niinistö also show that Europe is
currently unable and unfit to provide for its own security. Due to the inability of the Member
States to act united, also in view of the decision-making processes, often conditioned by the right
of veto, the EU is losing competitiveness in comparison with major global powers; a loss of
competitiveness that risks also to undermine the achievements in terms of human development,
social justice, education, environmental protection, rule of law and the safeguarding of fundamental
rights—the cornerstones of the European social model.
In order to reverse this decline and regain competitiveness, building its own strategic autonomy
and ensuring its own security, the European Union needs to become a more politically integrated
organisation, the basic lines of which were outlined by the European Parliament in its Resolution of
November 2023 asking the European Council to convene a Convention for Treaty reform. This
request has so far been ignored by the European Council, thereby violating the principle of loyal
and sincere cooperation between European institutions and the literality of article 48 of the Treaty
on the European Union (TEU)
The European Parliament is the only institution that directly represents European citizens and it is
unacceptable that the proposal for the reform of the treaties, which was drawn up by the
Parliament following the demands of European citizens that emerged during the Conference on the
Future of Europe, remains unheeded. This attitude violates the basic principles of democracy.
Therefore, we call on the European Parliament,
- to continue the battle begun in the IX parliamentary term for the opening of a Convention to
reform the Treaties as proposed in its November 2023 Resolution, thus recalling the European
Council of its legal obligations under article 48 TEU, by way of adopting a plenary resolution on the
matter;
Union of European Federalists
Square de Meeûs 25– B-1000 Brussels
T: (32) 491.52 .40. 97 – E: secretariat@federalists.eu – W: www.federalists.eu
- to use its powers on the adoption of the budget to force the European Council to take note of
its request for Treaty change under art. 48 TEU; - to send the draft reform of the Treaties to the national parliaments of the Member States for its
examination and adoption, thereby putting pressure on their governments to put the Parliament´s
proposal on the agenda of the European Council; - to bring to the European Council before the European Court of Justice in case it continues to
ignore the request of Treaty change in violation of the principle of loyal cooperation.