Tag: Federalism

EXCLUSIVE / The European Union will never receive enough public support for federalism and so should abandon the idea of a United States-inspired superstate, says the influential French Socialist former minister Hubert Védrine.

Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus has flatly rejected a proposal by EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso for a major transformation of the European Union into a "federation of nation states", according to Czech press reports.

Europe needs continuity and stability at the helm of government to make it stronger and more resilient, European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding said in an interview with EurActiv Italy, while also pushing for a third Barroso term at the Commission.

Time is running short to make a jump towards federalism - to avoid a complete collapse of the euro, Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament, tells EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has said he will propose a roadmap and "calendar" for more European integration at the next summit of EU leaders on 28-29 June, without discarding the possibility of a treaty change aimed at injecting more federalism into the Union.

As part of an ongoing series, EurActiv France is profiling leading candidates in the 2012 French presidential elections, analysing in detail what their political action, programmes and policies mean for the European Union. François Bayrou, the centrist candidate of the Democratic Movement, stresses the national responsibility for fiscal discipline and the European Union’s potential to affirm France’s place in the world, toning down his usual strong Euro-federalist rhetoric.

The proposed 'fiscal compact' treaty currently being negotiated overly emphasises austerity and is insufficient to resolve the economic difficulties, says German MEP Jo Leinen. However the unprecedented attention brought to the EU by the crisis also presents an opportunity for European federalists to make their case to the public, he says.

Participants in a 'shadow summit' hosted yesterday (8 December) by the federalist Spinelli Group said they were "fed up" with the secretive political deals of EU leaders and called for a convention to map out a new vision for Europe.

Reform of the EU electoral system to be voted on tomorrow (7 July) in the European Parliament should make sure that voters across the Union and the media actually "enjoy" European election campaigns, UK Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff told EurActiv Germany in an exclusive interview.

A recently-established federalist body, the Spinelli Group, invited all its members to the European Parliament for the first time yesterday (12 January) for a debate on how to bring forward greater unity between Europeans.

Guy Vehofstadt, leader of the liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament, would be "very pleased" to appear on the first-ever transnational list at the 2014 European elections in order to revive his chances of becoming the next president of the European Commission, EurActiv has learned.

The economic crisis could present an opportunity to harmonise taxation policy across EU member states, according to officials at the European Parliament who contributed to a major report on the future development of the EU.

In a reaction to a call by the President of the European Convention, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, for a halt to federalism, the Young European Federalists warn there should be no end to federalism if the EU is to become democratic.

Commission President Prodi and prime ministers of Sweden and Belgium launch public debate and website on future of Europe

German Chancellor Schröder to discuss EU constitution ideas with London and Paris

Many reactions after German foreign minister Fischer expressed his personal federalist views on the future of the EU