Dear President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola,
Dear President of the European Council ,Charles Michel,
Dear President of the Council of the European Union Emmanuel Macron,
Dear President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
This petition is run by Clara Föller, Stephanie Hartung, Omri Preiss, Rainer Wieland MdEP organisiert.
Petition text
The Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) has concluded. Citizens have responded to your call to participate. For months, they have contributed and developed reform proposals on the online platform, in drawn groups and in the plenary. As Presidents of the EU institutions, you have now the responsible task of doing justice to these. As part of European civil society and on behalf of the hundreds of supporters of the #NoVeto initiative, we urge you:
The national veto in the Council of the European Union must be abolished and replaced by qualified majority voting!
We call upon you to anchor this core demand of the citizens in the upcoming proposals for a reform of the EU. In doing so, you will prove that you take citizen engagement seriously.
Why is this important?
The EU Council veto has turned out to be a blocking privilege for national governments. It weakens the EU’s ability to act. It dwarfs European influence in the world and paralyses decision-making within the EU. As the public participation in the various phases of the Future Conference showed, the citizens of Europe have recognised this. They want a strong, democratic EU capable of delivering for them!
Consequently, the Conference Plenary has called for the abolition of the veto twice (proposals 21 and 39), with the only exceptions being EU expansion and a change of the EU’s fundamental values. Other than those specific items, the Conference is clear: No veto!
Overcome EU Reform Blockade – Convene a Convention!
Since the Lisbon Treaty 15 (!) years ago, the EU has not implemented any further constitutional reforms. Only extreme pressure has been able to persuade the EU Member States to take a few steps towards integration in recent years. Despite multiple crises, opportunities to adapt the competencies and structures of the EU to today’s challenges were ignored. With the Conference on the Future of Europe, a hybrid of inter-institutional negotiations and citizen participation, a format was born to finally develop ideas for the further development of the EU again.
Use the chance to transform the results of the Conference on the Future of Europe into a European reform impulse!
Do justice to your task of translating the wishes and proposals of European citizens into concrete action. Advocate for the immediate convening of a European Convention to adapt the European Treaties to the increased challenges of the 2020s. And continue involving organised civil society to make this a success story.
We count on your cooperation!
Yours sincerely
Clara Föller
President of JEF Germany
Stephanie Hartung
Vice-President of Pulse of Europe
Omri Preiss
Executive Director of Alliance 4 Europe
Rainer Wieland MEP
President of Europa-Union Deutschland
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Respect the Citizens’ Will: Abolish the National Veto!
