GETTY Schulz is pushing for the EU to have more power to unite the Union

FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Schulz wants to transfer more authority to Brussels in a desperate bid to keep the troubled union together. The 60-year-old hopes to introduce a common company tax rate and end national vetoes on EU foreign policy.

Schulz drew up the plan with Sigmar Gabriel, the vice-chancellor of Germany and Social Democratic Party, who is likely to stand in next year’s election against Angela Merkel at he next general election in Germany. Two German newspapers have called for Jean-Claude Juncker to be forced out and figures close to Merkel say that she would rather have a different commission president, but Schulz is understood to be more supportive of the Luxemburger.

GETTY Merkel is hoping for more independent nations but Schulz wants an EU superstate

We need an ambitious and powerful thrust and not a timid patchwork Martin Schulz

Schulz said: “We need an ambitious and powerful thrust and not a timid patchwork. We must continue to work so that the European Commission will be transformed into a true European government.” The plans echo Juncker’s claims that the EU is struggling to resolve the Euro and migrant crises because it is not strong enough.

GETTY Schulz's comments are seen as a dig at Merkel, who he is hoping to unseat

It directly contradicts many EU leaders, such as Merkel, who believe the Brussels block should deliver concrete results rather than make another power grab. Schulz’s push for a greater federal system, making national governments a “second chamber” to the European parliament, was drawn up before the British referendum but has been released now to push for a closer union.

He wants national vetoes of EU foreign policy to be scrapped so that Europe speaks with “one voice”. The ten point plan includes stronger measures to seize assets in tax havens and to harmonise company tax — contrasting sharply with George Osborne’s plans to reduce corporation tax in Britain.