Juncker urges EU to adopt majority principle in foreign policy decisions

FLORENCE, Italy - The voice of Europe will remain largely inaudible unless the European Union (EU) agrees on reforming its foreign policy decision-making, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said here on Friday.

On the second day of the annual "State of the Union" conference, Juncker urged EU members to abandon the current unanimity principle in favor of a more efficient voting system based on majority.

"Our foreign policy is now organized in a way that Europe's voice is not heard in the large concert of nations, because we still have to decide unanimously," Juncker explained.

"But there is a difference between unanimity, which means one country's vote alone can block a decision ...I therefore propose that, from now on, we decide by qualified majority," he said.

The European Commission chief specified the EU Lisbon Treaty -- signed in 2007, and in force since 2009 -- already contained the necessary provisions to allow for such a shift.

According to Juncker, the majority principle could be positively extended to several EU areas, including fiscal policy. Yet, foreign policy would remain the most urgent one, in order for the EU to gain a stronger and more effective voice on the global scene.

The State of the Union conference draws European officials, opinion leaders, analysts, and academics for a three-day debate on crucial EU issues.

This edition -- the eighth of its kind -- focuses on the theme of solidarity, encompassing economic, fiscal, and monetary policies, social investment, migration, climate change, and energy, according to organizers.