European Federalism and National Identity

The federal phenomenon can only be grasped in a purposive fashion: federalism strives to reach a fair balance between unity and diversity. Starting from this minimalistic definition, I shall determine, on the one hand, to what extent respect for Member State national identity preserves federalism in the European Union (i.e. embraces both unity and diversity) and, on the other hand, what that suggests as to the nature of this kind of federalism and, more broadly, of the European Union.