Today, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, participated as guest of honour in a meeting held at the Belgian Embassy with the Ambassadors of the EU Member States accredited in Rome and the Director of the European Commission Representation.
The meeting was promoted and hosted by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, H.E. Pierre-Emmanuel De Bauw, on the occasion of the approaching conclusion of the six-month Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. “I have no problem describing this semester as complex, due to the delicate global geopolitical framework,” said Tajani, emphasising the “great determination with which Belgium has led the Council.”
In his speech, the Minister dwelt on the recently concluded European elections, describing them as “a central moment in the democratic life of the Union”, reiterating that “the Italian government is playing a key role in the process of renewing the summits of the European institutions with a high sense of responsibility.”
Regarding the future of Europe, Tajani highlighted the need to “put the EU in a position to welcome new members.” In particular, “for Italy, the challenge is on at least three levels: the reform of the Union’s sectoral policies, starting with the CAP and Cohesion Policy; the revision of the EU budget and financial instruments; and the intervention on governance.”
“The increasingly unstable international context reminds us of the importance of European unity and multilateral cooperation,” concluded Tajani, stressing that, also in the framework of the Italian G7 Presidency, “as a great founding country of the European Union, Italy aims at working in the interest of Europe and European citizens.”
“As a founding country of the European Union, Italy is present at this stage of the negotiations with the President of the Council, who is the leader of one of the most important European political families, and your truly, who has been working at the top of the People’s Party family for years. Our goal is to participate at the highest level in the consolidation of the European institutions to defend the interests of all our citizens.”
