President Dalia Grybauskaitė emphasized that Europe, which has to deal with both internal and external challenges, needs a clear vision for future development.
According to the President, only innovative, socially inclusive and secure Europe can stimulate rapid economic development, stand up to global competition and ensure the welfare of its people.
The President believes that innovation is the driving force to a successful future. In order to make the EU visible on the global innovation map, it is necessary to streamline financial resources, mobilize the best minds and talents, create adequate conditions for science, and develop advanced study programs.
The President also underlined that a socially inclusive Europe is the corner stone of strong democracy. Exclusion, unemployment, and poverty lead to public disillusionment with politicians, increase social confrontation and threaten fundamental values. The EU, therefore, needs to develop tools for member states to overcome social problems, help retrain their labor force and adapt to change.
The third priority is enhancing the EU’s resilience to external threats. Strengthening Europe's potential to counter cyber threats and fake news, diversify its energy sources, reduce dependency on external suppliers, and maintain a secure neighborhood must become a shared goal for the next five years.
EU leaders adopted a joint declaration stating their agreement on ten key commitments focused on European unity, solidarity, joint solutions, the protection of democratic values, the rule of law and the European lifestyle, the needs and concerns of EU citizens, social inclusion, investment in young people, and Europe as a responsible global leader.
