“Only a more federal Europe can cope with these challenges, ensuring the respect of our fundamental values and rights.(…) To this end, we support the creation of a renewed cross-partisan and inter-institutional pro-European coalition encompassing the most committed Member States in the European Council, the pro-European majority in the European and National Parliaments, the European Commission, and regional and local institutions, over and above the particular inertias of each institution, and the pro-European organized civil society. We call on them all to mobilize locally, nationally, and transnationally to support these requests for a more sovereign and democratic Union.”
This text is based on the declaration adopted by the relaunched Action Committee for the United States of Europe, 18 October 2025, Jean Monnet House, Houjarray/ Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, France
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Independent from whom? The USA? Then let’s not copy the American declaration of independence. Without going down conspiracy lane there is nothing above the EU. There is no need for independence.
There is a need for original thought. We want European Facebook, AWS, search engine, AI, StarLink, electric cars - all after the US has shown us that it is useful. If we copy the US, we will also copy the current dismantling. If we want independence, we should learn to think independently first.
I don‘t want European Facebook, AI or StarLink. I want something better and more democratic than any of those things.
European Facebook AI and Starlink would be better because it observes European regulation.
let’s not copy the American declaration of independence.
Of course, I’m also having an allergic reaction to this title. and happy to see already 2 allergic comments apart from my own idea.
This was basically the scope of EL Pais, probably beacuse of recent developments.
The original declaration and the term United States of Europe was used by the founder of Europe Jean Monnet and coined by Victor Hugo in the mid 19th century or so. I’ve read somewhere that a Polish guy has used it even earlier.
I’m also having an allergic reaction to this title.
OK at least we agree on that. 😋
Haha, oh absolutely.
Added; I just found a term which may describe our pov: Functional Federalisation.
FYI @buffalox : There appears to be a strong discussion about the question whether European Union is actually federation.
In my view, but that’s just a POV, it’s a form of (loose) federation because memberstates cede power to a supranational entity ( The EU). On the other hand memberstates still hold lots of Souverignity and self Governing power, and that would be an argument against calling it a federation in a classic sense
Anyway to avoid any prejudice I personally use the term "The European Project" .Whatever it is, there is nothing like it anywhere in the world.
memberstates cede power to a supranational entity
Which as it is we only do marginally and only on things we have specifically agreed to. This was one of the key arguments that was the reason Denmark couldn’t join the Maastricht-treaty that ended ECC and formed EU in 1991, and instead had the Edinburgh-agreement in 1992.
The exceptions Denmark achieved are basically irrelevant to the functioning of Denmark in EU. For instance we have our own currency, but the Danish Crown is tied to the Euro anyway. So the difference to having the Euro is academic.EU regulation is written into law by each separate country, and upheld for the country by the country. EU is NOT a federation because it doesn’t have neither a central government or a central set of laws. There is no central force controlled by EU of any kind, that will enter your country to do anything. Either Police, or veterinary, or military intelligence or anything.
Anyway to avoid any prejudice I personally use the term “The European Project”.
I hear politicians use that term too, and I 100% condone that description, because it definitely is a project, and a very significant one.
Whatever it is, there is nothing like it anywhere in the world.
Exactly, and we shouldn’t devolve it to some ancient structure that doesn’t work.
Only a more federal Europe can cope with these challenges
ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NO !!!
Just look at USA and how the federal government is fucking up states under Trump. We do not need anything remotely like that shit in EU.
The way EU works is by cooperation, and it is far superior to how USA works with regard to respecting the individual countries.
Now Hungary and Slovakia are causing problems, and yes we need a way to limit the degree to which individual countries can continuously block EU politically, but going to the other extreme where the majority can just trample the rights of the minority is not the way.EU is doing pretty damned well as it is. EU is effectively helping Ukraine despite the opposition from Hungary and Slovakia. And EU has moved very fast to respond to Trump on increasing European independence from USA on several fronts. These solutions are so good, that even Canada is participating in defense programs like SAFE, SDP and PESCO.
I’m all for EU working even closer together than we do now, but for fucks sake, we shouldn’t ruin a good thing by removing the best aspect of EU, namely that EU is based on cooperation and not on oppression by force of an ever shifting political majority.
Just look how bad it works in USA!! And then compare that to how EU has been steadily progressing in every aspect where USA is failing!!
A central EU government means that all the countries will be under that government, and it will be an enormous loss of self determination for all countries.
We can have a central military, controlled under the rules of EU by collaboration. Without having a central government.Just look how bad it works in USA
How and why are you comparing this proposal to the US?!
There are many many federations in the world like, India Brazil, Switzerland etc.
Because USA is a federation with states that are about as big as European countries.
And state rights are systematically trumped by the federal government, and there is no reason to think the same won’t happen in EU over time, if we make a similar power structure with a central government.
Germany is also a federation, that’s their choice. Germany is based on being a country of one people originally. USA is not, and EU is also not a country of one people.
EU needs to respect the differences of the European countries to work, as a federation a federal government tend to push that aside if it becomes inconvenient.
A federation lacks balance of power between the states. Which is extremely obvious in USA.And state rights are systematically trumped by the federal government, and there is no reason to think the same won’t happen in EU over time, if we make a similar power structure.
Yes, true we must therefore build strong counter measures in this new European Federation. Its technically already a (co) Federation. But while we heed their mistakes we can prevent them.
A federation is generally supposed to protect state rights, problem is the power structure with a central government undermines that.
So I’m not sure it is possible to do except by NOT having a central government.
I also don’t see the need for a central government or even any advantage of it. And it most definitely isn’t necessary to achieve the political goals of more independence from USA. Since that is already working very well for EU with the current structure.So I’m not sure it is possible to do except by NOT having a central government.
Of course there are solutions The principle of subsidiarity is one. Doing projects between states like you said are another for example. Problem is always that people be people, and they like power and money. And also there is little any "piece of paper" can do against dictators with guns. No piece of law will probably ever change that, I’m afraid.
Problem is always that people be people,
Which is why centralizing power is generally a bad idea, making a federation a bad idea.
The “European Federation - Fédération européenne - Europäische Föderation - Federacja Europejska”…etc
if you really have to change the name.
Okay, I agree. But the question is, what concrete actions are they going to take to achieve those goals?
“They” have a roadmap for it. Basically they call upon all “political bodies” to rise up, and expect the European Parliament to take a more prominent role.
I mean, If you ask me, it should become a more equal democracy, a Europe by the People for the People with a stronger and more direct citizen participation. We are all here when it happens and we can all share our pov and influence the outcome somewhat.
