Even today, we are increasingly witnessing tensions surrounding demands for independence by certain ethnic minorities. One might cite the examples of Scotland or Catalonia. Unfortunately, the mandate granted to the European Union by its member states does not include the principle of the self-determination of peoples, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations—a significant inconsistency in the current international legal landscape.
That said, many steps have already been taken—and continue to be taken—towards reform, with the aim of creating conditions that allow tensions to ease. In some countries, including Italy, over the past decade we have seen the emergence of new statutory models no longer rooted in territoriality but instead focused directly on the Human Being.
It is within this evolving context that the Confederation takes action—fostering dialogue among all parties and working to legitimize the choices of peoples who seek self-determination. While the EU Treaties do not expressly recognize this principle, European states have signed the Hague Convention, where self-determination of peoples is one of the core principles.
To this end, the Confederation is actively engaged in building relationships with all international organizations committed to the protection of so-called “minor peoples.”
Together with its Confederated Members and all those pursuing self-determination, the CNU provides legal tools and frameworks to support informed, lawful decisions in these domains. Upon completing their process of “people’s self-determination,” each Confederated Member receives formal identification documents; communities are granted the right to use CNU confederative insignia on their official documents, following public legal acts authenticated by international apostilles under the Hague Convention, thus enshrining their status in international law.
Alongside their official presence within their homeland, these documents are formally notified through public acts to all States party to the Hague Convention. This process has enabled the legal international recognition of new statuses, enhancing the well-being of self-determined peoples and contributing actively—both socially and economically—to their regions. In doing so, they also support the development of other territorial states that share the same lands, based on equal constitutional rights.
We are witnessing the emergence of a new geopolitical paradigm, and only through structured, balanced, and conscious dialogue will the EU Member States be able to realize the immense value—already visible and still unfolding—of this process in terms of economic development, human rights, environmental stewardship, and ultimately, social cohesion.
