Research project | Updated 30/01/2009 

Since its inception, Notre Europe has been pondering the means of improving the EU's institutional structures in a federal spirit. Its most urgent mission is clearly institutional revival in the aftermath of the French and Dutch referendum rejection of the Constitutional Treaty. However, Notre Europe also takes an interest in the approach to the revision of the Treaties and the ways Member States' double unanimity principle can be overcome, in the Convention model and the means to preserve and improve it too. Finally in the longer term, Notre Europe continues to reflect on the project of a Federation of Nation States set forth by Jacques Delors and on the modalities of its implementation in an enlarged Europe.

The issue of the institutional architecture of the European Union, technical and austere though it may be, remains fundamental. On this subject, Jean Monnet liked to quote philosopher H.F. Amiel: "Only institutions grow wiser: they accumulate collective experience". This is indeed borne out by the institutional history of European integration which has much to teach us on its Member States' intent on coming together. Any institutional crisis will directly impact on integration's very dynamics, as born out by the rejections of the EDC (European Defence Community) in 1954 or, more recently, of the Constitutional Treaty.

Since its creation, Notre Europe has been fully committed to research and proposals geared to institutional issues. The archive this page draws from leaves no doubt on this score. More specifically, its Board of Directors has articulated a range of positions which sustained the Convention's work when preparing the Constitutional Treaty. Notre Europe went on to promote the Treaty during the referendum campaign in France and published an analysis of the French 'no' vote on 29 May 2005 as well as "crisis exit" scenarios.

Notre Europe's thinking on institutional issues rests on three major stances:

• The serial enlargements undergone by the Union are a potent illustration of European capacity to face up to the historical challenges that confront her. Nevertheless, enlargement must not be an alternative to the deepening of European integration, which will not go without the institutional reforms which now loom large.
• Federalism remains the political organisational model and the decision making approach best suited to the European Union. It makes it possible to articulate to the best effect both its unity and diversity and to achieve a genuine democratisation of an enlarged Europe. Because it enshrines the double legitimacy of the EU (that of its peoples and of its States), the vision championed by Jacques Delors of a Federation of Nation States remains the formula best suited to consolidate a proactive consensus.
• The Member States' power to veto will become ever more incompatible with sustaining the dynamics of integration in a Europe strong of 25, soon 27, eventually over 30 members. Turning to majority vote will prove an increasingly attractive solution. But this optimal path needs time whilst the current world order demands immediate action. The concept of differentiation may help counter stagnation. Making it possible for a set of States to move forward towards a specified objective has been a useful solution in the past and will remain so.

Notre Europe currently attends to three major institutional projects:

1. The first is to assist, with analyses and propositions, the institutional relaunch of the EU by the adoption of the Reform Treaty.
   
2. The second, in the mid-term, addresses the revision of the fundamental Treaties of the European Union in an enlarged Europe. To uphold the principle of double unanimity, whereby a revision of the Treaties with the unanimous agreement of the European Council would be followed by a ratification, subject to the approbation of every Member State, is no longer tenable in greater Europe. Strong in the studies already undertaken in this field (See in particular Professor Oberdorff's work), Notre Europe will bring to its analysis both the lucidity and mettle this issue requires. The revision of the Treaties must be conducted transparently and by means of the democratic processes available. The Convention was an important first step towards this democratisation (see F. Deloche's study of this issue). Notre Europe holds that it should be maintained whilst ways to improve its operations should be considered.
3. The third proposes better to define, in the mid and long term, the broad lines of an overall political vision towards which the next institutional stages should aim and on the basis of which they should be thought out. Notre Europe considers the concept of a Federation of Nation States the best of visions (see for instance Jacques Delors' speech to the European Movement in 2002) and will henceforward endeavour to develop the up-to-date substance of this political and institutional project.