UEF Petition on the Reform of the Treaty of Lisbon
Brussels, 25 February 2025
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 the alignment of Trump with Putin, 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 foster its political unification to become a democratic federal State, also able to provide full legitimacy to a prospective Defence Union. In the current geopolitical situation, the start of this process is more urgent than ever.
The European Parliament´s Resolution of 22 November 2023 on proposals for the amendment of the Treaties (2022/2051)[1] was a step in the above-mentioned constitutional direction. It triggered the reform process foreseen in article 48 of the Treaty on the European Union. 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 the said article.
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 examine Parliament´s proposed Treaty amendments, by recalling the European Council of its legal obligations under article 48 TEU, by way of adopting a plenary resolution on the matter;
- to use its powers on the adoption of the budget to force the European Council to take note of its request for Treaty reform 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 processing Parliament´s request in violation of article 48 of the TEU and the principle of loyal cooperation.
First Signatories
- Domenec Ruiz Devesa, UEF President
- Giulia Rossolillo, UEF Vice-President
Others
- Ilaria Caria, UEF Secretary General
- Antonio Argenziano, UEF Board Member (JEF Europe)
- Alejandro Peinado Garcia, UEF Board Member (Sec-Gen UEF Spain)
- François Leray, UEF Board Member (UEF France)
- Eszter Nagy, UEF Board Member (President UEF Hungary)
- Christelle Savall, UEF Board Member (President JEF Europe)
- Daphne Gogou, UEF Board Member (President UEF Greece)
- Alin Mituta, UEF Vice-President (President UEF Romania)
- Gwynn Wettach, UEF Board Member (UEF Germany)
- Enrique Baron Crespo, President UEF Spain
- Velko Ivanov, Sec-Gen UEF Bulgaria
- Neophytos Aristodemou, Sec-Gen UEF Greece
[1] Texts adopted - Proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties - Wednesday, 22 November 2023
This document is the Petition presented to the PETI Committee of the European Parliament in February 2025.
This UEF Action is part of the UEF Campaign TREATY REFORM NOW in 2025. More info here LINK