Dragan Bataveljić

PERSPECTIVE ON THE EUROPEAN UNION FEDERALISM

Summary

At the beginning of the 21st century, the European Union is facing great challenges. The process of European integration entails the question of "European compatibility" of federalism and the implementation of a "European federation", respectively. Consequently, the author of the present paper discuss crucial issues of European federalism which today, at the beginning of the 21st century, are still most topical. It appears that federalism plays an important role in the European enlargement and integration, as a political undertaking lacking precedents. Up to now, several models of federalism are known, however, further European enlargement and integration require innovation, so it cannot simply be adapted to already existing models or to those which have been determined in advance, but it is rather imperative to carry out a synthesis between uniformity and diversity. To that end, in the previous years, a "great deal of effort has been made in searching for a new federalism", discussing the future of the EU.

Federalism adequately counterbalances globalization, and it represents the most appropriate form of social organization which would unite the Europeans in a union, safeguard national, regional and local distinctive features, and an interdependence and affirmation of the European identity required. The motives of European integration and formation of a "European federalism" are peace, democracy, idealism, belonging to a particular community of values, improvement of the economic standard, a greater influence on the common and security policy, a more efficient solving of cross-border problems, and finally, a strengthening of friendship and neighbourly relationship. Its goals are the formation of a federal State and "United States of Europe", respectively, hereby considering the principle of subsidiarity. The discussions on the future development of Europe often reveal the contrast of clearly defined viewpoints: the model of a "European Federal State", the opposing model of "European Federation of States", the model of "Europe of Regions", and the model of "Differentiated integration".

Key words: European Union, European federalism,  subsidiarity, European integration, European federation;