20 November 2003

Federalists warn that the retention of the national veto will bring the enlarged Union to a halt.

After the enlargement of the EU next May, the growing number of member states will make unanimous decision-making harder than ever before, says the Union of European Federalists, the citizens’ campaign group for a federal Europe.

The case for extending the use of majority voting is outlined in a new edition of the Federalist Letter to the Intergovernmental Conference, published by the UEF today.

The UEF argues that majority voting must be made general so that it applies to all decisions rather than kept only for some of them. If the current IGC cannot make those changes, then another Convention should be called no later than 2008 to ensure that majority voting becomes the absolute rule.

“The future of Europe depends on effective and democratic decision-making,” said Bruno Boissière, Secretary-General of the UEF.

“That means majority voting in the Council whenever possible. If the current IGC cannot reach that decision, then the next Convention must.”

Notes to editors

1. The UEF is an independent and non-governmental, supranational organisation, dedicated to the promotion of a federal Europe.

2. The UEF issues regular Federalist Letters to the Intergovernmental Conference which are available to read online at http://www.federaleurope.org/en/news/index.html
3. For more information, contact Bruno Boissière or Kristina Weich Hondrila on +32 2 508 3030.