UNION OF EUROPEAN FEDERALISTS
PRESS RELEASE
SOTEU 2022: Ursula von der Leyen courageously endorses the revision of European treaties
The UEF welcomes this year’s historic SOTEU address and congratulates the Commission President for her courageous call for a Convention
Brussels, 14/09/2022
The Union of European Federalists (UEF) welcomes the willingness of the European Commission’s President, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, to open a Convention for the revision of the European treaties, on the occasion of this year’s State of the European Union speech.
In a historic speech, the President of the European Commission expressed her support for the revision of the European treaties, following the 9 June resolution of the European Parliament. Ursula von der Leyen follows the steps of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in calling for the redrafting of institutional rules of the European Union.
Although President von der Leyen rightly suggested enshrining generational solidarity in the founding texts of the Union, the European federalists would like to recall their proposals for a stronger and democratic Europe:
- The recognition of the European Parliament's direct right of initiative on legislative matters, and the recognition of the Parliament's full co-legislative rights on the EU budget,
- The reinforcement of the competencies and powers of the Union in areas such as health, energy and climate change, defense, and social and economic policies,
- Shifting from the unanimity rule to qualified majority voting in all European policies, by extending the ordinary legislative procedure.
Sandro Gozi, President of the UEF said: "It was about time! Ursula von der Leyen proposed a Convention to reform the European Union as we federalists have demanded since 2019 and as proposed by the citizens in the Conference on the Future of Europe. Let's build a democratic and sovereign European power!”.
The UEF stands with Mrs. von der Leyen when she calls for all Europeans to remain united in the face of hardship. Europe’s resolve will be put to the test in the weeks and months ahead, and the solidarity we show to each other must equal the one we must show to our friends in Ukraine.
