WEBINAR: What kind of federation for the European Union?

18th May 2022

or in the player below:

Presentation by Tony Czarnecki – Economist, futurist, and Managing Partner of Sustensis, London
Followed by a discussion chaired by Brendan Donnelly, Director, The Federal Trust

Although the European Federation is formally not on the EU agenda yet, turbulent events related to the Ukrainian war have accelerated many processes in the EU, such as a common defence policy and turning off the tap on the Russian oil and gas pipelines. These external pressures coincide with the internal process of outlining the way forward for the EU. On 9th May, the Future of Europe Conference, in which ¼ of the participants are randomly selected EU citizens, will make final recommendations, which will almost certainly require constitutional changes. One of the recommendations is the call of the Federal Alliance of European Federalists for the EU to federate.

Since the very term “federation” has not been raised by the EU Council because it’s a political tabu, the form of such a federation has not been discussed either. And yet, if we consider the pace of change that the world has been going through for the last few years, the federalization of the EU may happen rather suddenly and soon than over a longer period. What are the likely circumstances in which such a Federation may happen? What type of the Federation is most desired and most likely? Finally, what possible global role the future EU Federation should aim to play?

These are the key questions, which Tony Czarnecki discussed during this webinar.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Tony Czarnecki is a member of the Chatham House, an economist, a futurist, and the Managing Partner of Sustensis, London (www.sustensis.co.uk). He is the author of several books, two of which specifically address the subject of federalism. In “Federate to Survive!” he proposes that the most urgent task for our civilisation to survive beyond this century is for all nations to federate. In the second book – “Democracy for a Human Federation” – he suggests that the federalization of the world should start with Europe, simultaneously accompanied by a deep reform of democracy.