Overview of the Schuman2030 project.
Inspired by the original vision of Robert Schuman, the Schuman2030 project is a reform initiative proposing a post-Lisbon Treaty framework for the European Union, explicitly drawing inspiration from Swiss direct democracy and federalism as its primary model. The project positions itself as non-partisan and aims for implementation by 2030.
Core Diagnosis of EU Problems
The project identifies four fundamental issues with the current EU structure:
- Democratic deficit: Lack of genuine citizen participation in decision-making
- Bureaucratic overreach: EU Commission micromanagement through directives (claiming 80% of member state laws are EU directive implementations)
- Competence creep: Powers concentrated at EU level that should be at national/local levels
- Lack of strategic capacity: EU operates on global challenges “without clear legal base and without democratic control”
Four Pillars of Reform Proposal
- Real Bottom-Up Subsidiarity
Drawing directly from Swiss cantonal federalism, the project advocates radical decentralization: “Decisions at lowest level possible unless EU-wide action is necessary.” This goes beyond current EU subsidiarity rhetoric to propose genuine devolution of competences back to member states and local levels.
- Real Citizen Participation
Explicitly modeled on Swiss direct democracy, proposing:
- Citizens’ initiatives (similar to Swiss Volksinitiative)
- Binding referenda for important matters (not merely consultative)
- Enhanced European Parliament role
This represents a significant departure from the current European Citizens’ Initiative, which is non-binding and has limited impact.
- Real Supranational Competences
Paradoxically, at least at first sight, combined with decentralization, the project advocates strengthening EU capacity in genuinely cross-border areas:
- Geopolitical action
- Defense and security infrastructure
- Command structures for collective action
The logic: focus EU power where it adds value (external relations, defense) while removing it from areas better handled locally. This is a direct consequence of the princiuple of bottom-up subsidiarity.
- Real Long-Term Planning
Proposes institutional mechanisms for strategic foresight “decades ahead” driven by evidence rather than “ideology or political opportunism.”
Positioning Within EU Reform Landscape
Hybrid Character:
The Schuman2030 project is unusual because it combines elements from multiple reform types:
- Federalist elements: Strengthening supranational capacity in defense/foreign policy
- Intergovernmentalist elements: Radical subsidiarity and repatriation of competences
- Democratic reform elements: Swiss-style direct democracy
- Anti-bureaucratic populist elements: Critique of Commission overreach
This makes it difficult to classify within traditional pro-integration vs. sovereignty-first dichotomies but provides a unique approach to real issues plaguing the European Union.
Comparison to Swiss Model:
Switzerland’s federal system indeed combines:
- Strong cantonal autonomy (26 cantons with significant powers)
- Direct democracy (citizens vote on 4-5 referenda per year at all levels)
- Subsidiarity principle deeply embedded in practice
- Weak central government compared to most European states
However, Switzerland also has:
- No supranational obligations (not EU member)
- Homogeneous size (8.7 million people vs. EU’s 450 million)
- Centuries of gradual evolution (federal constitution since 1848)
The transferability of Swiss institutions to the EU’s vastly different scale and context remains contested in academic literature.
Strengths of the Proposal
- Addresses real concerns: Democratic deficit and bureaucratic overreach are widely acknowledged problems
- Concrete model: Unlike abstract proposals, it points to a functioning system (Switzerland)
- Balanced approach: Attempts to combine decentralization with strengthened capacity where needed
- Simplification goal: Promises to reduce treaty complexity
Note that Schuman2030 does not aim at copying the Swiss moedel, but to adapt its principles for an internal democracy that implies the participation of citizens and member states and that have proven to work in Switzerland with great success for the last 150 years. At the same, it aims at strengthening the supra-national competences where they matter to stand firm in the world-wide geopolitocal context.