Do you actually understand what it means when the E.U. says that it will “guarantee fundamental rights”? Because we also love to talk about dignity and freedom and equality … but how often do we actually act on those principles?
This article has been written by Benedetta Torri and Diego De Servi, two students who have taken part in the 2025 edition of EU Values Summer school in Brussels.
The EU wrote it all into a black and white document, the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which became legally binding thanks to the Lisbon Treaty – it’s not propaganda; it’s law.
And when governments, or international institutions representing them, violate these principles, there is a tool that can make them quake – if only we were bold enough to use it.
The idea of a European federal state is not new: from Altiero Spinelli to the contemporary debate, the question is whether the European Union has the capacity to guarantee political stability, institutional efficiency, and the
protection of fundamental rights.
However, in a highly complex international context, a possible federal evolution is one of the most debated options for increasing the democratic legitimacy and political effectiveness of the EU, which is an economic project, but has acquired a political dimension over the years. The Treaty of Lisbon ratified the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Other complementary elements are community regulations. Many EU states have already introduced principles that go beyond the single market, but the current model remains a confederation of sovereign states. Pooling shared competences is also a politically advantageous arrangement: it’s their business if they adopt a common foreign policy, defense, and budget.
In a federal model, human rights would be guaranteed directly at the central level, avoiding divergent interpretations and strengthening citizen protection. As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized, “the rule of law and fundamental rights are non-negotiable: they are at the very heart of our Union.” Building a European federal state is not only an institutional undertaking, but also a cultural one.
It requires the creation of a European citizenry fully aware of its rights and responsibilities. Human rights, in this sense, become not only a legal principle but a bonding factor for identity.
The original article is available here.
