German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has put forward an initiative to reform the European Union, presenting a six-point plan aimed at improving the bloc’s efficiency.
According to Report, citing Reuters, the head of the German Foreign Ministry made the announcement in Berlin at an event organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
According to Wadephul, the European Union needs more flexible decision-making mechanisms, particularly in matters of foreign policy and security. One of the key proposals was the more active use of the ‘enhanced cooperation’ format, under which a group of EU countries would be able to pursue specific initiatives in areas where reaching consensus among all 27 member states is difficult in the near future.
The German Foreign Minister also advocated a shift from the principle of unanimity in foreign policy matters to qualified majority voting. In his view, this would prevent situations where decisions affecting the entire European Union are blocked by individual countries.
Wadeful’s proposals also include speeding up the EU enlargement process, including the possibility of phased accession for new member states. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously expressed support for such an initiative.
The minister noted that the aim of the proposed reforms is to make the European Union more effective and capable of responding promptly to contemporary challenges.
