A group of 11 European Union countries has joined forces to demand an end to the “obstructive” vetoes that have paralysed the bloc’s external action in recent years, arguing that the principle of sincere cooperation must take precedence.
“The Union’s culture of consensus is an important source of its legitimacy. Therefore, we continue to strive for consensus wherever possible,” the countries say in a letter addressed to High Representative Kaja Kallas and seen by Euronews.
“But we must also ensure that this culture of consensus fosters common action rather than preventing it – otherwise we will have legitimacy but no strength.”
Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and Sweden signed the letter. Germany, the largest member state, has been leading callsto reform the bloc’s foreign policy.
“The Union’s external action faces a fundamentally changed landscape, shaped by strategic competition, growing instability and attempts to undermine the rules-based international order,” they write in the document, also sent to those member states who did not sign.
“In this environment, the Union’s ability to defend its values and interests hinges on whether it can mobilise its collective political, economic and diplomatic weight quickly and effectively.”
Under EU rules, foreign policy is strictly governed by unanimity, which means one single country can, at any time, tie the hands of the other 26 member states.
This pattern played out repeatedly during the 16-year tenure of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Before losing power in April, Orbán regularly outraged his peers by using his veto power to extract concessions and advance his interests.
Earlier this year, he triggered an unprecedented crisis when he suddenly blocked a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, personally agreed by EU leaders, over an unrelated dispute with Kyiv involving the Druzhba oil pipeline.
A way forward
Based on the lessons learned from the Orbán years, the signatories lay out five principles that, in their view, should guide and improve the bloc’s common foreign policy:
- Uphold the principles of sincere cooperation and mutual solidarity
- Increase the use of constructive abstentions to replace vetoes
- Refrain from linking foreign policy decisions to “substantially unrelated” matters
- Explore options within the EU treaties to move from unanimity to qualified majority
- Provide “substantiated vital reasons” to block such a move
“The legal framework for all five principles is already in place. It is solely up to us to put them into action and thus advance our foreign policy,” the letter says.
The idea of activating the so-called “passerelle clause” under Article 31 to switch from unanimity to qualified majority voting has been a long-running debate in Brussels that rose to prominence in the aftermath of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The switch could be done on a case-by-case basis, rather than all at once.
Proponents say it would speed up decision-making and avoid unnecessary vetoes, while opponents say it would undermine democratic legitimacy. Small member states consider the veto a useful last-resort tool to defend their views and interests against the heft of larger members.
The “passerelle clause” has been described as a Catch-22 because moving from unanimity to qualified majority would itself require unanimity, which means opponents would be certain to win the battle. The joint letter calls for “meaningful” consultations to address a potential dispute and reach a compromise.
The push to overhaul the EU’s foreign policy has gained traction after Orbán’s defeat, which many see as an invaluable window of opportunity that could be shut if Marine Le Pen, a staunch Eurosceptic, wins the French presidential election next year.
Germany and France have floated a plan that would strengthen the role of the High Representative, Kaja Kallas, but bring her under the direct supervision of the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.