RESOLUTION | Federalist Strategy for a Federal Reform of the EU

The Federal Committee of the Union of European Federalists, convening in Athens, Greece, on 22-23 November 2025 adopted the following resolution

Having regard of:

• the Memorandum on a European Defence Union issued by the new Action Committee for United States of Europe on 5^th March 2025;
• the so-called “Second Schuman declaration” issued on 9^th May 2025 by the new Action committee for United States of Europe;
• The declaration of the Action committee for United States of Europe  of 18^th  October 2025

Aware that:

• In a world increasingly driven by the logic of force and competition among major continental powers, the European Union remains trapped in paralysis.
• The most immediate threat to European security comes from Russia.
  Attacks on Ukraine continue to intensify, with no genuine sign of a ceasefire from Moscow. On the contrary, the Kremlin has expanded the conflict onto EU territory through a hybrid war of cyberattacks, disinformation, and repeated drone incursions.
• The collapse of Ukrainian resistance would open the way to new expansionist ambitions by the Kremlin, directed toward Moldova and the Baltic States, with potentially devastating consequences for European security.
• Despite recent efforts to develop a common industrial policy for defence, the Member States remain reluctant to take decisive steps toward a European Defence Union.
  This paralysis is compounded by the limited resources of the EU budget, which can't sustain any credible initiative in the defence sector. In this situation only the wealthiest Member States can rearm, deepening disparities and weakening political cohesion.
• The Letta, Draghi and Niinistö reports have outlined the reforms needed to enhance competitiveness, exploit the full potential of the EU’s internal market, and ensure security against emerging threats.

Concerned that the draft Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034 proposed by the European Commission in July 2025

• fails to provide any significant increase in resources, despite the clear necessity to address the challenges identified in the Draghi, Letta and Niinistö reports.
• Risks renationalising the cohesion policy of the EU budget undermining shared management and EU territorial development and making the EU merely a cash register for member states rather than a public policy actor.
• Downgrades the EU’s territorial and cohesion mission.
• Lacks adequate anchoring of EU own resources (Article 311 TFEU).
• Underfunds key European public goods, including defence, competitiveness, and critical technologies.

Recalling that:

• While public opinion and many observers call for a qualitative leap in European integration, national governments, several MEPs and the Commission remain unwilling to invest political capital in relaunching the European project.
• The European Parliament’s resolution of 22 November 2023 proposed Treaty amendments under Article 48(2) TEU to Overcome unanimity requirements and Strengthen the Union’s competences and financing framework.
• On 10^th October 2025, the European Parliament approved by a large majority a resolution calling for a united response to Russian violations of European airspace and the creation of a European Defence Union based on shared command, logistics, and intelligence.
• On 22^nd of October 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Institutional Consequences of the EU Enlargement Negotiations (rapporteur: S. Gozi), calling for significant Treaty changes in view of the future accession of new Member States.

Stresses that:

• Under Article 312 TFEU, the MFF Regulation is adopted by the Council acting unanimously after obtaining Parliament’s consent.
• Under Article 293(2) TFEU, the Commission may amend its proposal at any time before Council adoption.
• The Parliament therefore has the right to withhold consent and to request a revised proposal consistent with Union objectives and the principles of budgetary unity and transparency.

Calls upon:

The European Council:

• To use the Common Defence clause provided for in Article 42 TEU, or otherwise enable a coalition of willing Member States to proceed with a Permanent European Defence Union open to all, with a joint command and shared financing mechanisms.
• To follow up on Parliament’s proposal to reform the Treaties, abolishing unanimity in key areas such as foreign and security policy, taxation, and the MFF ensuring that the decision-making process strengthens solidarity and cohesion across the Union, and promotes a truly inclusive and sustainable European framework.

The European Commission:

• To ensure full implementation of the Letta and Draghi reports on the internal market and competitiveness by appointing a Special Envoy responsible for cross-sectoral coordination and monitoring.
• To table a new, strengthened MFF proposal (2028–2034) capable of financing European public goods — notably defence, research, competitiveness, cohesion, and agriculture — while respecting parliamentary control, regional roles, and funded through genuine EU own resources directly collected by the Union.

The European Parliament:

• to establish robust safeguards for the EU’s Cohesion Policy by linking cohesion funding to transparent performance criteria, respect for the rule of law and democratic standards, and enhanced conditionality with clear democratic oversight, to ensure effective and equitable use of resources across all regions, prevent misuse among other for political patronage, and reinforce the Union’s basic principle of solidarity.

• To condition its support for the next annual budgets and the MFF on the European Council’s concrete steps toward implementing Articles 42 and 48 TEU.
• To convene an Interparliamentary Assembly involving representatives of National parliament with the purpose of advocating for the implementation of these objectives: internal market completion, competitiveness, a credible MFF, a European Defence Union, and progress toward full political union.

Finally, calls for:

• the most committed Member States, the European parliament the pro-European majorities in national parliaments, the European Commission, federalist and pro European associations of the civil society to act united in driving forward Europe’s political unification beyond institutional inertia through a democratic European constituent process, with the aim of establishing a federal system in respect of subsidiarity ensuring both democratic legitimacy and political unity.