Military integration, Green Deal, and own resources: here’s the EU’s strategic agenda

Brussels – The far-reaching goal is for a stronger European Union capable of responding to the geopolitical, climate, and trade challenges ahead. It is a commitment that the heads of state and government of the 27 member states intend to achieve through a promise that is also an agenda: “We will strengthen our capacity to act to become more influential in the world.” That’s the key point of the strategic agenda that leaders attach to the European Council summit conclusions, viewed by Eunews, and which seems intended to revive that geopolitical Europe that has been lacking in recent years despite the best intentions.

The real point, maybe momentous for a Union born as a peace project, is the less-pacific, some might say, Orwellian, declination of the pillar: peace is a political and financial investment in the defense industry. “Reinforcing our security and defense and protecting our citizens” is the title of the chapter of the strategic agenda devoted to the theme. “We will invest much more and better together,” the Twenty-Seven’s pledge, passing through an all-12-star Copernican revolution. “We will improve interoperability between European armed forces” after decades of failed attempts. It is the step that marks the beginning of building a European army. That’s why the leaders pledge to  “urgently” improve the conditions for expanding the European defense industry by creating a better-integrated European defense market and promoting joint procurement, flagship projects, and defense initiatives of common interest across the EU. The key role of the European Investment Bank (Bei) is steadfast in this commitment. 

The EU intends to revive its competitiveness to count on the international chessboard. Between the Letta and Draghi reports on the single market and competitiveness and what may follow lies an important part of the strategic agenda adopted for the new institutional cycle 2024-2029. The intention here is to strengthen “further” the single market, “especially in the energy, finance, and telecommunications sectors.” Other commitments include completing the single capital market, eliminating unjustified barriers “particularly for essential services and goods,” and giving equal access to the single market by improving connectivity.

The Green Deal and sustainability commitments remain firm, from which there is no going back. A new EU institutional cycle under the banner of continuity, with alliances and, more importantly, all the EU Commission and Parliament leaders unchanged from the just-ended legislative term, helps support this ambition. As the strategic agenda states, the goal of making Europe “the first climate-neutral continent” remains firm. It means translating the twin green and digital transition into practice and investing even more in ‘clean-tech,’ the industrial and technological solutions to reduce CO2 emissions.

It will require resources the Union does not currently have but is committed to finding. The upcoming multi-annual financial framework (MFF 2028-2034), “will have to reflect these priorities” since the leaders do not question these. Everything will have to be negotiated, and “in this regard, we will work for the introduction of new own resources.”

The EU does not betray its desire for trade and free trade, and in this regard, the principles of multilateralism as a response to protectionist tendencies, but respect for common rules, remain firm. The World Trade Organization (WTO) remains the reference point for a Union, determined to renew and revitalize it from here on out.

Again, Ukraine. Leaders put in black and white, once again, unconditional commitment to partner in response to the Russian aggression: financial, military, reconstruction, and membership support.

The EU’s strategic agenda also contains commitments on immigration, which only confirms the pact signed at the European level. Fighting human traffickers, dismantling trafficking routes, cooperation with countries of origin and transit on everything from repatriation, returns, and stops along the routes the focal points on which leaders say they are ready to work together.

This last wording, “working together,” may be the main challenge for the Twenty-Seven bloc. Making the strategic agenda a success story requires “moving forward together,” as the closing understanding reads. It will require a united EU, the least quarrelsome possible.