The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, took part on Tuesday in the seminar “The Future of the European Union: Scenarios and a New Course”, organised by the Alternativas Foundation, where he called for a “genuine European strategic awakening” with a Europe that takes the lead in shaping its own history, plays an essential role, and assumes responsibility for defining its vision for the future within this new international order.
For the minister, “Europe is the leading example for everything worth protecting, for everything in which the vast majority of humanity – who choose understanding, progress and peace – believe. That is the foreign policy that Spain champions in a sovereign Europe: a foreign policy at the service of democracy, a rules-based international order and peaceful coexistence”.
At a decisive moment when the world order is being redefined, Albares pointed out that the real dilemma we face is “between international law and force; between peace and war as an instrument of foreign policy”.
More Europe
That is why, he insisted, “Europe gives us the strength we need to act effectively on a global scale, and embodies and promotes the values that gave it meaning: peace, dialogue, economic progress with social justice, and our own identity within a Union that is diverse”.
To this end, the minister advocated for genuine European sovereignty that would enable us to avoid dependence on third parties in strategic areas, whilst making progress on specific projects. “The Europe of energy, the Europe of health, the digital Europe, leading the development of technologies such as artificial intelligence in accordance with our values and international law”.
Not forgetting, he added, the social Europe, as a community of progress, well-being and opportunities; the Europe of defence, with greater integration of industries, funding and capabilities; and the completion of the internal market through the integration of capital markets.
Reforms and enlargement
The minister believes it is essential for Europe to speak with one voice and to explore new ways of making decisions more swiftly, whilst avoiding vetoes that block the collective will of the Union. With this aim in mind, Spain has been participating for years in the Group of Friends on Qualified Majority Voting.
Spain also supports the enlargement process, standing alongside countries that are making progress, such as the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine. And, for this broader Europe to be stronger too, it must have an ambitious budget that is commensurate with its ambitions.
Protecting democracy
Albares has also highlighted the need to protect our democracy in the face of the rise of the far right – a challenge of the utmost importance for the EU – and the need to tackle disinformation and hate speech, which divide and weaken the European project.
And, at a time when others are opting for confrontation, Europe is choosing alliances, cooperation and agreement, fostering relations with strategic partners such as India, and strengthening ties with Latin America and the Caribbean. Spain plays a key role in this bridge that has been built between the two sides of the Atlantic, and the forthcoming Ibero-American Summit, to be held in Madrid on 4 and 5 November, will be a crucial opportunity to further deepen these relations.
Source : Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación, PR
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