Our future won’t be vetoed. It’s time for Treaty change!

Key points:

The conclusion of the Conference on the Future of Europe and Russia’s war in Ukraine make it necessary to change the EU status quo.
The European Council on 23-24 June must follow the EU citizens’ call and launch a Treaty change Convention.
The national leaders should send a clear political signal to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, endorsing their EU candidate status.

A crucial turning point for Europe is in front of us. After the European Parliament initiated the Treaty change process by adopting a resolution calling for a Convention on 9 June, the ball is in the European Council’s court. During their meeting between 23-24 June, the EU heads of state and government will have the historical opportunity to respond to the demands of the EU citizens expressed during the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) and to finally grant Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia the EU candidate status.

The period of reflection as part of the Conference and the Russian war in Ukraine have opened up a new chapter in Europe’s history. Failing to follow-up on the Conference proposals would be a failure for European democracy. Now is the time for the European Council to play its role enshrined in the Treaties: to provide the EU with a political structure able to address citizens' needs and to deal effectively with global challenges.

The national leaders are expected to adopt their position on the EU candidate status for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. “We need to give a clear signal that their efforts to meet the accession criteria and sacrifices made in defending the EU’s values so far have not been in vain” affrims Christelle Savall, Vice President of JEF Europe. More importantly, Russian imperialism in the region must be counterbalanced by the EU with credible enlargement prospects, which is especially crucial for war-torn Ukraine. The Young European Federalists have been calling for this since March 1st with a pan-european campaign.

The Conference recommended reopening the discussion on a European Constitution, facilitating pan-European democracy, strengthening the legislative and budgetary role of the European Parliament, getting rid of national vetoes in all decision-making, better protecting the EU’s values and developing new EU’s competencies in health, security and social affairs. “These reforms need to be the starting point to go beyond a Union of States, and finally set up a Union of Citizens”, claims Antonio Argenziano, President of JEF Europe.

The European Parliament and the European Commission pledged their commitment to implementing the Conference proposals, including via treaty change. It’s now up to the governments to provide an answer, leaving vetos in the past and finally saying ‘yes’ to European citizens' needs, saying ‘yes’ to Europe.

About JEF Europe

The Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) is a political youth NGO advocating for the creation of a democratic European federation as a guarantee for peace, the rule of law and human rights. JEF Europe promotes true European citizenship, works for the widening and deepening of the European Union and strives for a more just and integrated society on the European continent. Established in 1972, the organisation has more than 10,000 activists organised in over 250 national, regional and local sections in 31 countries. The ideals and aims of JEF Europe are defined in the Manifesto of Ventotene, the Political Platform and resolutions adopted by its statutory bodies.

Previous positions on EU reform