UEF - Union of European Federalists

Former Spanish Member of the European Parliament Domènec Ruiz Devesa has been re-elected by acclamation as President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) during the XXIX European Congress held in Barcelona from 20 to 22 March 2026, co-organised with UEF Spain and UEF Catalunya Federalistes d’Esquerres.

This re-election comes at a particularly symbolic moment, as 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the organisation, founded in 1946 to promote the political unity of Europe. Ruiz Devesa is the first Spaniard to lead the UEF in its history.

A High-Level European and Institutional Congress

The opening session brought together prominent European, national, and local political figures, including the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Salvador Illa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares,

the Mayor of Barcelona Jaume Collboni, former EU High Representative and Commission Vice President Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Parliament Javier López, and former President of the European Parliament Enrique Barón Crespo.

Notably, both President Illa and Minister Albares emphasised the importance of the federalist path as a response to today’s challenges, highlighting the role of a more integrated Europe in ensuring peace, social justice, and international stability. To watch the welcoming speeches, please find here below

Debating the Future of European Federalism

A key highlight of the Congress was the Spinelli Group debate titled “Is Draghi's Pragmatic Federalism enough to face current challenges?”, which gathered leading federalist figures such as Gabriele Bischoff, MEP and President of the Spinelli Group, former HR/VP Josep Borrell, and Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Former MEP and ex-officio Board Member of the Spinelli Group. The discussion underscored the need for a method to strengthen political ambition in European integration to address current geopolitical, economic, and security challenges. While the necessity of deeper integration is widely acknowledged, the focus must now shift to concrete actions to achieve it.

Celebrating 80 Years of Federalism

The Congress also marked the 80th anniversary of the UEF with a cocktail reception featuring an art exhibition by Lorenzo Epis, symbolising the connection between culture, European citizenship, and the federalist project.

Another important moment was the event bringing together former UEF Presidents—Jo Leinen, Mercedes Bresso, Andrew Duff, Elmar Brok, and Sandro Gozi—who reflected on the evolution of the European federalist movement. By acclamation, they all became Honorary Presidents.

A Political Agenda for a More United Europe

Throughout the Congress, which continued over the weekend, delegates debated and adopted key political resolutions outlining an ambitious vision for the future of the European Union. Key priorities include:

overcoming unanimity in key policy areas such as foreign affairs, defence, and taxation;
advancing towards a credible and operational European Defence Union;
developing a common fiscal capacity, including instruments such as eurobonds;
promoting deeper integration through coherent enhanced cooperation;
advancing Treaty reform and strengthening the role of European citizens.

New Leadership Elected

The Congress also elected the new statutory bodies of the UEF. Alongside President Ruiz Devesa, the following Vice-Presidents were elected: Daphne Gogou, Giulia Rossolillo, Markus Ferber MEP, and Alin Mituta former MEP 2019-2024. Antonio Argenziano was elected Treasurer.

The Executive Bureau also includes Eszter Nagy, Liubba El Hadi Hamed, Roberto Castaldi, Simina Tulbure, Michael Montag, José Luis Salazar, Sebastian Camarero, and François Leray. The Secretary General Mathilde Baudouin is confirmed in her charge.

New executive bureau 2026 edited - UEF — *The elected Executive Bureau of the UEF. LINK HERE for the Names.*

A Mandate for European Political Union

Following his re-election, Domenec Ruiz Devesa stated:
“Europe is at a moment where it must take a qualitative leap towards political union to ensure its security, prosperity, and global relevance.”

He further stressed that European federalism “is no longer an option, but a practical necessity,” calling on European institutions and national governments to act with greater ambition.

The UEF Secretariat

Ahead of the European Council meeting of 19–20 March, the Action Committee for the United States of Europe has taken an initiative to contribute to the ongoing debate on the future direction of the European Union.

Last week, the Action Committee transmitted a letter to Pedro Lourtie, Head of Cabinet of the President of the European Council, together with a document drafted in the format of European Council conclusions. The initiative was undertaken on behalf of the President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), Domènec Ruiz Devesa, with the aim of providing a constructive federalist contribution to the current reflection on how the Union can strengthen its capacity to act.

The document focuses on three key areas currently at the centre of the EU agenda: European sovereignty in security and defence, digital sovereignty, and progress towards a deeper political union. It proposes a set of measures designed to reinforce the Union’s ability to respond effectively to the growing geopolitical and technological challenges facing Europe.

In particular, the contribution highlights the need to overcome the limitations of unanimity in decision-making, to advance the discussion on institutional reform based on the European Parliament’s proposal of 23 November 2023 to revise the Treaty of Lisbon, and to promote a coherent framework of strengthened cooperations among Member States willing to move forward in key policy areas.

Among the priorities identified are the further deepening of the internal market, stronger tax coordination, and greater integration of foreign policy and defence. The initiative aims to encourage concrete progress in these areas while supporting a broader federalist vision of the European Union.

Through this contribution, the Action Committee seeks to participate constructively in the debate on how to equip the European Union with the political and institutional tools necessary to act effectively and protect its citizens in an increasingly complex global environment.

The full document can be consulted here:

Suggestions of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe for the European Council 11.03.2026 final Download

Update 23 April 2026

After some weeks, the Commissioner Kubilius replied to the President of the UEF Domenec Ruiz Devesa with this letter

20260422_Kubilius_Reply to Mr Ruiz Devesa Download

The Political and Activity Report 2025 provides a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s initiatives, campaigns, and political actions carried out throughout the year. The report highlights the federalist movement’s efforts to promote democratic reform of the European Union, strengthen European integration, and mobilise civil society and political leaders around the vision of a more united and sovereign Europe.

Introduced by a foreword from the leadership of the organisation, the report underlines the importance of renewed political commitment to European unity in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. As emphasised in the foreword, the federalist movement aims to “promote debate, translating challenges into concrete action and driving the political will to move forward in European integration.”

Throughout its pages, the report presents the key activities undertaken by UEF and its partners: advocacy for treaty reform, initiatives supporting a European Defence Union, public campaigns and institutional dialogue aimed at advancing the project of a federal Europe. These actions reflect the broader mission of the federalist movement to strengthen democratic governance at the European level and to contribute to shaping the future of the Union. ()

You can read the full Political and Activity Report 2025 here:
LINK HERE https://federalists.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/UEF-Report-2025_def_compressed.pdf

Additional publications and past reports are available in the Federalists’ Series, the UEF library of policy papers, analyses and activity reports documenting the work of the federalist movement over the years:
LINK HERE https://federalists.eu/library-series/federalist-reports/

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/

Pictures

WhatsApp Image 2026 03 20 at 14.37.52 1 - UEF

WhatsApp Image 2026 03 20 at 14.37.52 - UEF

Brussels, 6 March 2026

As European Federalists we express our solidarity to the Iranian people and recall the urgent need for a common European foreign policy.

The Union of European Federalists strongly condemns the military escalation in the Middle East which took, in a few hours, a dramatic dimension involving 15 States. The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran against countries in the region, undermine international peace and security and constitute a clear violation of international law. The recent experience in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan has demonstrated that wars seeking to overthrow authoritarian regimes could not successfully install democratic regimes but instead proliferate chaos and dictatorships.

We recall that all States must respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, which clearly prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”

As European Federalists, we recall our support for democracy in Iran and we focus on standing with the Iranian people, and in particular women and youth, in their fight against authoritarianism. We condemn the regime’s violent suppression of protests over the past decades. We express our solidarity with the Iranian people, commending their courage and determination for freedom, liberty and the fight for a better future. We emphasize that Iranians deserve to live under a government that respects human rights, fundamental freedoms and human dignity.

We welcome the January 2026 EU decision to officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, as requested by the European Parliament; a long overdue decision which puts an end to the impunity of the main actor of the Iranian regime.

We regret the absence of a strong common European Union position concerning the escalation in the Middle East, due to the division of the 27 Member States, which weakens the Union’s global role. We emphasize the direct impact of the current crisis on all Member States and the urgent need for a common European foreign policy.

We call the Union to be actively involved in initiatives aimed at an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation. The risks of a wider regional conflict could have grave consequences on the proliferation of nuclear weapons, chronic economic instability and the forced displacement of people. We strongly encourage the European Union to actively participate in diplomatic initiatives looking for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the Middle East, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter.

We call on all EU institutions and Member States to reject Trump’s trade threats against Spain and take the appropriate defensive measures in the event.

We finally reiterate the urgent need for a strong European common foreign policy and strategic autonomy, calling on European leaders to start the process of the necessary Treaty changes, towards a federation which will save our democratic way of life, peace and freedom while at the same time respecting European security and economic interests.

UEF STATEMENT ON FRENCH ADVANCED NUCLEAR DETERRENCE

President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to extend France’s nuclear deterrence to European partners offers a significant political signal towards the establishment of a common European defence outside the NATO framework, even if it stops far short of creating a fully shared European nuclear force. The French proposal is a response to the relaunch of Russian and Chinese nuclear forces but also to US ambiguous stance towards European security.

With this proposal, France has declared that the overall continental security affects its vital national interests and therefore offers to integrate the interests of other European partners in its strategic reflection, including common consultations on threats; joint work on intelligence and detection, air defence, and deep-strike capabilities; the possibility to participate in nuclear military exercises; and the deployment of nuclear-armed French air forces in other European countries to enhance forward deterrence.

In addition, while the French-German joint statement of 2 March states that advanced deterrence it is meant to strengthen the NATO nuclear mission, and the “systems of collective security” of both the Atlantic Alliance (article 5 of the Treaty of Washington) and of the EU (article 42.7 Treaty on the European Union), the proposal would create a second, independent, and NATO-consistent layer of European nuclear deterrence. Both France and Germany emphasize that this plan respects the Treaty on Non-Proliferation.

On the other hand, President Macron has ruled out any allied participation in planning, implementation or decision about the use of the French nuclear arsenal. It will remain strictly under national command and control, with the President of the Republic retaining sole authority over its use. In legal terms, the force de frappe remains entirely French.

Macron has also stressed that advance deterrence is not an explicit security guarantee. Any extension of deterrence would remain deliberately ambiguous, preserving the flexibility that is central to the current nuclear strategy. As a result, partner states would gain political assurance and strategic dialogue, but not a codified, legally binding nuclear guarantee.

These two limitations constitute the price that Europe as a whole is paying because of decades of missed opportunities to integrate and strengthen its defence cooperation while national governments did not address the issue of creating shared sovereignty in time by thoroughly reforming its institutions, despite the process undertaken in this regard by the Conference on the Future of Europe and the proposals drawn up in the European Parliament in recent years.

Even in the current intergovernmental framework, however, and with the noted restrictions, this major move will not only benefit France but potentially all EU Member States, by offering a second, European layer of nuclear deterrence.

Therefore, the Union of European Federalists welcomes that some EU member states already accepted the French proposal of advanced deterrence and calls on all the others to do so, with a view of integrating it in the Common Defence envisioned on article 42 of the Treaty of the European Union, through Permanent Structured Cooperation. In this regard, the UEF recalls its policy proposal for a Common European Defense System published in March 2025, which supported already the “Europeanisation of French uclear capabilities with shared financing from willing EU member States”.

This can be the very first step towards pooling warheads and the establishment of a European multinational force comparable to NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements, a common European nuclear budget, and share decision-making power, with an EU “nuclear button,” eventually with the transfer of operational control to the European Union.

UEF also calls all Member States and EU institutions to support our proposal on a common European defence, consisting of the national armies of the Member States and a 28th European Army, coordinated in a common structure, compatible with NATO and serving as its European Pillar.

For this purpose - since European security requires to move towards collective burden-sharing, from intelligence gathering to budget allocating, and therefore the democratic governance of this evolution - the answer lies in a parallel progressive federalization of matters of European interest, so that European citizens can decide their future and the means to reach for it, through their European Parliament and executive.

The UEF share also the French president's view that the ultimate goal is a world without nuclear arms. This is a goal that can only be fully achieved through a world federation, but a sovereign Europe could already contribute to bringing this goal closer by committing itself to building a cooperative world order based on shared rules, in which diplomacy and international law once again become the instruments for pursuing international political objectives.

Euractiv has published today an opinion editorial written by our President, Domenec Ruiz Devesa:

https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/orbans-abuse-of-the-veto-must-not-be-tolerated

The article reminds that, while in the medium term a reform of the Treaties and progress towards a European federation will be necessary to remove the veto right, the existing Treaties already provide tools that can be used in the short term to limit abuses of the veto and prevent the European Union from being constantly paralysed.

In the article, Devesa argues that the abuse of the veto cannot be tolerated and recalls that the EU Treaties clearly establish the principle of sincere cooperation. Article 4(3) of the Treaty on European Union stipulates that Member States must facilitate the achievement of the Union’s tasks, while Article 24(3) requires them to support the Union’s external action actively and unreservedly, in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity. These obligations are legally binding, as repeatedly affirmed by the Court of Justice, and EU institutions should act together to address violations of these principles.

The op-ed has also been shared on our social media channels. We encourage you to amplify it and share it through your networks:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7432771433480744961
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/269256431976123/posts/1262273696007720
X: https://x.com/20503242/status/2027005665391038648
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVONYwBEQKw/

In the fourth year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European Federalists took to the streets in 17 cities across Europe to send one clear message: Ukraine is not alone.

From Berlin to Vienna, from Brussels to Rome — and in Bremen, Paris, Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Munich, Lyon, Bucharest, Budapest, Florence, Genoa, Verona, Vicenza and Pavia — our movement showed up, united and determined.

One shared commitment: Ukraine’s future belongs in the heart of Europe.

For freedom. For peace. For a stronger, more united Europe.