Federalist Paper 1/2025 | What the EU Needs to Halt Its Decline and Regain Control of Its Destiny

Read the new UEF Federalist Paper 1/2025 about the meaning of the so-called Report Draghi in the federalist perspective.

From the Preface

Never in the history of the integration process have Europeans stood on the brink of the abyss as they do today.

In a global context in which geopolitical powers of continental dimensions compete fiercely with each other for resources, markets and spheres of political influence, and which is characterized by instability and wars, the European Union, if disunited and weak, risks being like a sheep among wolves, and having to choose, unable to determine its own destiny, which master it will obey.

In this context, Donald Trump's election as President of the United States constitutes a disruption of the transatlantic relation and therefore should be a wake-up call for the European Union. While the U.S. supported and encouraged European integration in the aftermath of World War II and ensured the continent's defense, the Trump administration has the clear objective of advancing a national-populistic agenda, and to this effect, dividing the Europeans and weakening them.

Elon Musk's immense economic power, coupled with his attempts to influence election outcomes in European countries by encouraging support for far-right movements, the allure for some nations to rely on his satellites for their security, and the lack of a cohesive political vision among European states—some of which, out of fear of a Russian advance under Putin, would dream of keeping a close alignment with the Trump administration—are all factors creating the perfect storm. A storm that Europeans can weather only if they decisively demonstrate the will to unite politically and take concrete steps in this direction.

Mario Draghi's report on the future of European competitiveness underscores this urgency. The report highlights the weaknesses and lack of competitiveness that plague Europe when it remains divided, as well as the immense potential it could unlock through political unity, including a proper European Defence System that is not dependent on US.

It is no longer enough to advance through small, incremental steps under the current treaties, especially in an unstable international environment. Europe's reliance on external powers for energy, technology, and defense is unsustainable.

All the proposals put forward in the Draghi Report require that Europe endows itself with a political head, a budget worthy of the name financed through a European taxation system, and decision-making mechanisms that are democratic and no longer based on unanimous agreement between governments.

This is the core message that we, as the Union of European Federalists, through this paper, want to emphasize, with the aim to contribute to the process of reflection started by the Report.

But these goals can only be achieved if a discussion is opened on a thorough overhaul of the Union's decision-making mechanisms and institutional set-up, and thus on a comprehensive, federal reform of the existing Treaties, as called for by the European Parliament in its November 2023 reform proposal for the convening of a Convention, which the European Council has so far chose to ignore, in breach of its legal obligations under article 48 of the Treaty of the European Union.

Europeans must take their destiny in their own hands. If they do not, decisions on Europe’s future will be taken by others, and its achievements in terms of democracy, freedom, the welfare state, and the protection of rights will be in danger. In fact, they are already at risk.

Brussels and Pavia, 3 February 2025

• Domènec Ruiz Devesa, President of the Union of European Federalists and former Member of the European Parliament
• Giulia Rossolillo, Vice-President of the Union of European Federalists and Professor of European Union Law of University of Pavia