WIREDGOV

The EU is a staunch supporter of multilateralism (UN, G20, G7, etc.) and a defender of a rules-based international order.

The EU is open to the world and rejects protectionism. We are committed to working with our allies and like-minded partners, in particular the US and within NATO which is the cornerstone of our security.

Our unity is our core asset. By acting together, we will leverage our strengths.

Drawing the lessons of recent crises, we are committed to consolidating our strengths and strengthening our resilience by reducing our critical dependencies.

To become more effective and assertive on the international stage, the European Union needs to increase its capacity to act autonomously:

As an economic power: through our single market, standards (climate, energy, digital, industrial policy), level playing field, reciprocity;

In the security and EU defence.

We will also pursue our own interests, in particular vis-à-vis China which we consider as a competitor, a partner and a systemic rival.

The European Council will steer this process.

HRVP Borrell will put forward a first draft of the Strategic Compass in November 2021. We will come back to it in December. We will endorse it in March at our regular European Council on defence. In the meantime, we will progress on the different existing tracks in the field of defence and security.

We will work towards a new political declaration with NATO before the June 2022 NATO Summit.

We will reduce dependencies and achieve resilience in areas such as energy, digital, cyber security, semi-conductors, industrial policy, trade and reinforcing the single market. We will come back regularly in the European Council on these issues, starting in October.

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Press contacts

Barend Leyts

Spokesperson for the European Council President

+32 2 281 5150
+32 486 22 68 65

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