Group Of EU States Warn Of EU Reform During Macron Strasbourg Speech

The speech from French President Emmanuel Macron at the European summit today promised to usher in a new conceptualisation of Europe. He suggested the formation of the multi-track Europe which would be open to non-EU members (and those who have already left).

• The speech also promised to reform the voting system of the EU to abolish unanimous voting, seemingly to remove the veto powers of non-confirming states like Hungary.
• Thomas Meyer of Der Standard: 'A sensation: French President Macron proposes in Strasbourg the creation of a European Confederation, with all willing democratic states, especially Ukraine. Would be "a political community" with the EU at its core! Takes up the proposal of F. Mitterrand in 1989.'
• There have also been immediate signs of a divergence within the EU over radical reforms of EU treaties.
• As the speech was being a delivered a 'non-paper' by Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Sweden 'on the outcome of and follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe' was released.
  • The paper says that COVID and Russia 'clearly show that the EU can deliver within the current treaty framework.'
  • The statement: 'We do not need to rush into institutional reforms in order to deliver results.'