Is a Federal European Union Possible? Yes — but not at Twenty-Seven

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) has published a new policy paper titled “Is a Federal European Union Possible? Yes — but not at Twenty-Seven.” The paper examines one of the central institutional challenges facing the European Union today: how to overcome the paralysis created by unanimity in key policy areas and enable the Union to act effectively in an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment.

Written by Domènec Ruiz Devesa, President of the UEF and former Member of the European Parliament, the paper argues that the current decision-making system — where unanimity is still required in fields such as foreign policy, defence, taxation and EU finances — severely limits the EU’s capacity to respond to strategic challenges.

The analysis highlights how repeated vetoes by individual governments can block decisions affecting hundreds of millions of Europeans. With the prospect of future enlargements, this structural problem risks becoming even more acute.

The policy paper explores several possible institutional pathways to overcome the veto system and move towards a more federal and effective Union. Among the options discussed are the use of the passerelle clauses of the Lisbon Treaty, a broader Treaty reform process, and the creation of a federal core of willing Member States through enhanced cooperation mechanisms embedded within the EU framework.

According to the paper, a vanguard group of countries ready to deepen integration could advance common policies in areas such as foreign policy, defence and fiscal capacity, while remaining fully anchored within the European Union’s institutional structure.

At a time when Europe faces growing geopolitical pressures and internal fragmentation, the policy paper contributes to the ongoing debate on how the EU can strengthen its democratic legitimacy, strategic autonomy and capacity to act.

 Read the full policy paper:
https://federalists.eu/federalist-library/is-a-federal-european-union-possible-yes-but-not-at-twenty-seven/