Deutsche Welle’s correspondent in Brussels obtained the working version of the EU Strategic Program for 2024-2029. It is a document setting out the Union’s priorities for the entire term, agreed by EU leaders before shaping the composition of the new European Commission.
The process of creating the program is led by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel – speculations about his successor are already underway in Brussels – but all leaders of the member states and EU authorities contribute to the content of the document. And since there are many indications that the new European Commission will be a continuation of the current one, led by Ursula von der Leyen, and will be supported by the same coalition in the EP, the agenda can be considered a program created by EU decision-makers for themselves. We publish its most important assumptions.
The document – also published by the Contexte portal – opens with an assessment of the global political landscape, which is being changed by increasingly stronger competition among states and attacks on the international order. EU leaders mention Russia first. It was she who “brought war to our continent again.” They also emphasize the “dramatic” situation in the Middle East and announce that they will “take the necessary responsibility for the security and defense” of the Union. EU leaders recognize the threat of climate change and assure that they believe in the “success of green and digital transformation”, but they also plan to support agriculture, innovative economy and industry – including defense.
Three priorities
The emphasis is on the rule of law – EU leaders assure that they will “promote and protect it. They announce support for free media, the fight against “foreign interference”, crime and cybercrime, and the fight against disinformation and attempts to destabilize the Union, “divisions, terrorism and extremism” .
EU leaders also promise to defend the political and legal order based on the United Nations Charter, and emphasize that they will strive for a “multilateral system.” This shows that they see the international order not as an arena of struggle between aspirants to the title of hegemon – the USA and China – but as a concert of several powers – with Europe having a prominent place in this orchestra.
“We will adapt to the constantly changing conditions of a world that is becoming increasingly confrontational, transactional and uncertain,” EU leaders announce in the section devoted to defense and security. The EU is to be a “strategic global player in the new multilateral geopolitical context.” The priority is supporting Ukraine in defense against Russia, and then in its reconstruction and pursuit of peace. EU leaders announce increased investment in the community’s defense capabilities, including the promotion of joint procurement in the arms sector, better integration of the European defense industry market and the fight against hybrid threats, as well as the protection of critical infrastructure. Member States.
The EU is getting ready for enlargement. “A bigger and stronger Union”
Enlargement to new countries is one of the most important points on the agenda. The leaders emphasize that this process has “gained new dynamics”, stipulating that there will be no exceptions to the substantive accession criteria, but they will use “all opportunities for gradual integration.” In practice, this is a signal that the EU is opening the door to creating political, economic and cultural ties with candidate countries before politicians sign the accession treaties.
Migration: Schengen must continue
“A comprehensive approach to migration” – wrote the leaders of EU countries in the Strategy. What does it mean? Certainly not a wide open door to newcomers. Already in the first sentence of the fragment referring to migration, the word “Schengen” appears. The EU’s free movement of people has been described as a “fundamental achievement” of the EU.
And the second sentence explains how the EU wants to preserve Schengen. The emphasis will be on protecting external borders and combating illegal migration – and its “instrumentalization”. This is a clear reference to the crisis on the Polish eastern border caused by Russia and Belarus. The EU also announces cooperation with the countries of origin and flow of migrants, as well as the fight against people smugglers.
The EU also announces that it will strengthen its competitiveness towards other economic powers, as well as “sovereignty in strategic sectors” – which can be explained as an announcement of independence from supplies of e.g. raw materials from Russia or products from China. EU plans include, among others: diversification of supply chains and reducing dependence on other countries through, among others, development of EU technologies in the areas of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, defense, space flight, health and advanced materials.
Green Deal thrown into the trash?
The EU also announces that it will “make the green and digital transformation a success.” It wants to invest in energy, transport and communications infrastructure to create markets, industries and jobs based on new technologies. The climate policy comes with the caveat that it will also aim to maintain global competitiveness and energy independence. EU leaders also did not forget about agricultural policy – writing side by side about a “competitive, sustainable” and “resilient” agricultural sector that is supposed to ensure food security.
A moment later, words are spoken about nature protection, but the phrase “Green Deal” does not appear in the document at all. However, there is a lot about strengthening the EU’s innovative potential and equalizing opportunities on the labor market. This is a significant change in the approach to climate and industry strategy – with the latter clearly predominating. No wonder, because according to the reports of the Department for European Added Value of the European Parliament, e.g. in military spending and investments in research and development, the EU is behind the USA and China.
According to our sources close to the European Commission, the EU agenda will probably be published next week. It is possible that the EU will then wake up to a new reality – the media speculates that perhaps next Monday, the leaders will agree on the names of candidates for the presidents of the Commission, the Council, the European Parliament and the High Commissioner for Foreign Policy at an informal lunch.
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Source: Gazeta
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