Policy Proposal on a Common European Defence
Read the new UEF Policy Proposal on a Common European Defence
While there is broad recognition of the need for Common European Defence under the current geopolitical environment, including the collapse of the transatlantic alliance, there is still a lack of political leadership in both fostering it and in defining and implementing a concrete work plan within a short time frame. The main obstacles are political fragmentation, an undefined and therefore non-agreed end-goal, a lack of trust among member states, and, more significantly, the lack of political courage to pursue existing initiatives and institutional pathways. The absence so far of genuine political consensus among governments and European institutions on how to move forward is further complicated by institutional obstacles such as the unanimity rule.
The prevailing temptation is to simply increase national military spending within the NATO framework. However, accumulating national defence expenditures does not contribute to a truly European defence. Such an approach does nothing to improve Europe’s standing in power dynamics vis-a-vis Trump’s US, either within or outside NATO.
With this Proposal the Union of European Federalists aims to stimulate reaching a political solution on such an urgent and a critical question with a concrete proposal for a European Common Defence in accordance and in any event compatible with the Treaty of Lisbon, in view of the upcoming meeting of the European Council on 6th March, the Plenary of the European Parliament of 10th March, and the publication of the White Paper on Defence on 19th March, 2025.
Brussels, 4 March 2025
Domènec Ruiz Devesa
President of the Union of European Federalists and former Member of the European Parliament
Ilaria Caria
Secretary-General of the Union of European Federalists
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Union of European Federalists proposes a Common European Defence
As war rages on European eastern borders and transatlantic alliance is in danger, the Union of European Federalists releases a proposal for a Common European Defence System (EDS), in view of the upcoming meeting of the European Council on 6th March, the Plenary of the European Parliament of 10th March, and the publication of the White Paper on Defence on 19th March, 2025.
The EDS consists of the national armies of the Member States and a 28th European Army, coordinated in a common structure. The EDS would be compatible with NATO and could serve as its European Pillar.
The proposal calls for :
- Massive joint defence investment, procurement, and research, as Russia’s military expenditure, calculated in purchasing power parity, has surpassed Europe’s combined defence spending last year
- Extension of Common Security and Defence Policy missions to territorial defence and security in our immediate neighborhood
- A Rapid Deployment Capacity of 60.000 soldiers, becoming a 28th European Army, complementary to the 27 national armies in charge of territorial defence
- Europeanisation of French nuclear capabilities with shared financing from willing EU member states.
To finance the EDS, as proposed today, 4 March 2025, by the President of the European Commission, we recommend exempting defence investments from the deficit rule calculation of the Stability and Growth Pact, particularly for joint EU projects.
We also call for new EU federal bonds backed up by additional own resources, and the use of the digital euro to set up a Defence Bank.
A European Defence System can be established by using the available provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon. A concrete progress with a group of willing countries is also possible to prevent a blockade by one or more Member States.
Setting up a Common European Defence is by nature a policy that defines, with monetary policy, a federal state. Therefore, whichever path will be the fastest and most effective, it will be a decisive step towards a European federation. This means an independent and democratic control of the EDS through the representatives of the European citizens and member States in the European Parliament and Council.
A democratic and fiscal reform, including the end of national vetoes in foreign and security policy, should be concluded as soon as possible in accordance with the European Parliament’s proposal of November 2023.
A European federation will preserve national interests inside the EU and protect citizens and Member States against external aggressions. The time is now.