Germany, France, Spain and eight other European Union members have called for reforms to the bloc’s foreign policy decision-making system, arguing that the current unanimity rule allows individual countries to block collective action.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden sent a joint letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, urging greater use of the "constructive abstention" mechanism instead of vetoes.

The countries said consensus remains a fundamental part of the EU’s legitimacy but warned that efforts to achieve unanimity should not prevent the bloc from taking effective action.

"We must ensure that our culture of consensus encourages common action rather than blocking it; otherwise, we may have legitimacy but lack the ability to act," the letter said.

Debate over unanimity rule

Under the EU’s current foreign policy framework, many major decisions require unanimous approval from all member states. This allows a single country to prevent the adoption of common positions, sanctions or diplomatic measures.

The 11 countries argued that the EU is operating in an increasingly competitive geopolitical environment marked by growing instability, strategic rivalry and pressure on the rules-based international order.

They said the bloc’s ability to protect its interests depends on using its political, economic and diplomatic influence more quickly and effectively.

Calls for wider use of constructive abstention

The signatories called for stronger solidarity among member states and said countries should avoid linking foreign policy decisions to unrelated issues.

They also urged discussions on possible changes that could allow certain foreign policy decisions to be approved through qualified majority voting rather than unanimity.

The "constructive abstention" mechanism allows an EU member state to abstain from a decision without blocking other members from moving forward. The country is not required to implement the decision but also does not prevent the EU from adopting it.

Long-running EU reform debate

The issue of veto power has become a recurring debate within the EU, particularly as the bloc seeks to respond more rapidly to international crises, including conflicts, sanctions policies and security challenges.

Supporters of reform argue that reducing reliance on unanimity would make the EU a stronger global actor, while critics warn that removing veto powers could weaken the ability of smaller member states to protect their national interests.(ILKHA)