EUCO: EU Strategic Agenda needs to focus on climate change
Today, EU leaders are meeting in Brussels for an extraordinary European Council summit. The summit will focus on the Strategic Agenda as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the unrest in the Middle East.
Terry Reintke MEP, Greens/EFA Group President, comments:
Competitiveness/Strategic Agenda
"Protecting our climate and shifting our economy towards renewable energies are key to our competitiveness and prosperity. Energy transition and climate protection are security policies. Investing in the energy transition creates jobs, cuts dependence on autocrats like the Russian President and makes the EU more strategically sovereign in terms of energy supply and raw materials procurement.
“The next five years will decide whether the EU comes out on top in the race for global competitiveness or whether the EU forfeits the global leadership role to China and the USA. The Greens/EFA Group calls for a massive investment program to provide industries and companies with long term planning security. The EU's strategic agenda must reflect its commitment to energy sovereignty, energy security, climate protection and sustainable jobs. The EU cannot afford to backtrack on the Green Deal."
Iran/Ukraine
"The Greens/EFA Group condemns Iran's attack in the strongest possible terms, Iran must stop threatening Israel. It is vital to prevent further escalation of violence in the region. The people need the prospect of lasting peace. Intensified efforts to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza are especially important. The same drones Iran used to attack Israel are being sold by Iran to Russia for use in the war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU sanctions against Iranian drone technologies must be consistently implemented and Ukraine must urgently receive air defence systems and all necessary means to defend itself.
“We stand with Ukraine against the Russian aggressor. Solidarity cannot be just expressed with empty words. The Greens/EFA Group calls for European pooling of national defence budgets which would enable urgently needed investments. European cooperation saves resources and money, and guarantees weapon systems of individual national armed forces are consistently interoperable. The acute Ukrainian need for weapons and ammunition must be met as quickly as possible. To this end, Member States must raise more money, make joint purchases and significantly shorten delivery times. A rapid expansion and development of production capacities in the EU, especially for artillery ammunition and air defence, is needed."
More:
The adoption of the Strategic Agenda for the next five years is planned for the summit on 27 and 28 June.
Terry Reintke will be at the European Council Summit tomorrow morning from 11 am on. Should you wish to arrange interviews please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Letter from Terry Reintke, Philippe Lamberts, Bas Eickhout, Melanie Vogel and Thomas Waitz
