Why we need majority decisions for foreign and security policy issues

This is a statement by Members of the Sounding Board of the EU ‘Group of Friends of Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)’. The Group of Friends of QMV was established in 2023 by several EU Member States to prepare proposals to overcome the requirement of unanimity in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. Discussions take place at various levels, including that of the so-called European Correspondents at the various Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Sounding Board consists of academics and was installed to provide advice on the various proposals. The present Statement aims to draw attention to options that are currently on the table.