Resolution on defence and security

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Adopted by the Federal Committee of UEF, Brussels 10 July 2022

The Federal Committee of the Union of European Federalists, gathering in Brussels on July 9-10 2022;

In reference:

  • To the speech of Winston Churchill, in Zürich, in 1946,
  • To the Treaty on the European Union, as modified by the Treaty of Lisbon, in particular art. 42 (2 and 7) TEU;
  • To the resolutions on Europe Defence adopted by the Federal Committee in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016;
  • To the resolution on foreign and defence policy adopted by the UEF European Congress in 2016 and 2018;

Recognizing the role of NATO as provider of peace and security in Europe;

European security still largely relies on NATO, which essentially depends on the USA and US military capabilities and strategic priorities. This limits EU Member States’ strategic autonomy in its military capabilities and often leads to a duplication of basic military systems which in turn gives them a lack of European interoperability and makes for more difficult coordination;

At present, neither individual EU Member States, nor the EU, nor NATO in the absence of USA military and financial support, would have the means to reliably protect the territorial integrity of the EU Member States and countries in the European Neighbourhood Policy programmes;

Considering that a true European common defense cannot be obtained on base of a treaty change as treaties are made among sovereign states and cannot institute a political/military leadership politically responsible;

The intergovernmental method prevailing can’t produce a functional European defense and prevents any democratic control of a European force.

The intergovernmental method prevailing within the EU cannot create a functional European defence. The treaties on the EU, in particular art. 42 TEU pars 2 and 7, subordinate the general interest of Europeans to respect for a process that protects the mostly illusory sovereignty of the Member States. This leads to a lack of unity of command at both political and military levels and to a highly fragmented

EU defense equipment market: the European Defense Agency (EDA) tells 154 types of weapon systems in Europe; they are only 27 in the USA;

Recalls the federalist demands in the medium term (2025):

  • A federal state, is essential to promote our values such as that indicated in Art. 2 TEU, that are universal, which must more than ever be promoted and defended in today’s globalised world, to reinforce the European partnership with NATO, to enable Europe to speak with one voice in international relations and in international institutions, to define a truly European foreign, security and defence policy, to create a European defence;
  • It should legitimate and give them the means to establish a security and defence policy worth of the name, which is a condition sine qua non to conduct a credible foreign policy;
  • The shift to federalism should initially be supported by a small number of Member states, ready to put in common a new share of powers in order to ensure their sovereignty on the global scene;
  • Once this original nucleus is successful, others will join this vanguard, as it has been the case for the Schengen zone and the eurozone;
  • Within the scope of that federal Europe, Europe could validly face the security challenges of the 21st century and beyond.

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) therefore

  • appeals to the European Council and the national governments of the willing member states, to actively support the creation of a sovereign, democratic and federal Europe, able to finally assume continental geopolitical responsibility;
  • engages the national UEF sections to campaign in their country, towards the government and parliamentary forces, to support this process;
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