Europe Asia News

President of the EU Council Antonio Costa said that a strong Europe is needed — one that delivers results for citizens and advances key strategic geopolitical priorities.

Speaking about the three main areas of European Council action, Costa said:

"Defense: Strengthening European defense is the best way to maintain a stable transatlantic alliance. Building a defense Europe is not a slogan; it's a mission to protect our citizens, uphold our values, and defend our future.

Competitiveness: Defense and the green transition are the main drivers of increased competitiveness. The green transition is an opportunity for Europe to lead, modernize industry, create clean jobs, reduce energy costs, and strengthen energy security. We can stop the clock on European rules, but we cannot stop the clock on climate change.

Europe’s role in the world: Increasing our diplomatic engagement is more important than ever. This also means pursuing an ambitious and fair trade agenda with global partners. If we want to export our social and environmental standards, trade agreements are the way. Tariffs do not spread standards — trade agreements do."