By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – European Union citizens want the bloc of 27 nations to be fairer and more solidarious, fight climate change faster, make better decisions, and even if that means scrapping unanimity over some issues. This was revealed in a EU report.

This report, which is the product of an entire year of consultations between EU institutions and citizens, is called the Conference on the Future of Europe. It outlines ideas for change. Some of these might need to amend EU treaties, which can be a sensitive topic.

Now, all 49 of the proposals are being examined by the European Parliament, EU Governments and the European Commission. This latter entity is the only one that has the ability to make new EU laws.

“We ask that you look at all these proposals and implement them. We don’t just want the easiest ones. In a direct appeal for institutions, the authors of the report urged the public to “do it transparently”.

These nine topics are: Climate change and Environment, Migration, Digital Transformation, Democracy, Education, Values and the Rule of Law, Health, and The Position of the EU in Global Affairs.

The directives are intended to eliminate discrimination in Europe for all Europeans from the 27-nation bloc.

Importantly, the report demands that the EU removes the principle of unanimousity in EU decision making in the areas of EU foreign and security, tax, EU finances and certain areas of justice and domestic affairs.

Since all EU decisions must reduce to the lowest common factor, the requirement of unanimity has been often criticised.

These modifications would require changes to EU treaties. It would take a long, difficult process.

Many EU nations believe that a long process of change to treaty would not only take away resources for tackling more pressing issues, but also create divisions.