Pact for the Mediterranean: press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas on the College readout

Check towards supply! 

 

The College adopted a number of initiatives right this moment.  

First, we agreed on a brand new Pact for the Mediterranean. You simply heard President von der Leyen’s assertion on the topic. We will go into the main points shortly.  

We additionally adopted a Roadmap for Defence Readiness. I’ll current after this press convention, along with Executive Vice-President Virkkunen and Commissioner Kubilius. 

We additionally adopted a proposal for an ‘EU global climate and Energy Vision’, which Executive Vice-President Ribera and Commissioners Hoekstra and Jørgensen will discuss you thru.  

And lastly, the College welcomed Pieter Hasekamp, Chairman of the impartial European Fiscal Board. He briefed us on the Board’s Annual Report. With these factors coated, let me flip to the Pact for the Mediterranean.  

The geopolitical significance of the Mediterranean can’t be overstated. It has been on the high of our international coverage agenda since day certainly one of this Commission. From the autumn of the Assad regime to the conflict in Gaza, the area stays on a knife’s edge.  

Today, we have now a window of alternative to reframe the EU’s relationship with the Southern Neighbourhood. Commissioner Šuica will go into extra element, however just a few quick factors from me.  

The Pact contains greater than 100 initiatives, together with assist for 5G and knowledge centres in addition to many youth-focussed schemes. Commissioner Šuica has been working exhausting to make these occur – she will provide you with extra particulars. We wish to assist younger folks in our associate nations with higher alternatives by coaching, jobs and stronger native economies.  

The widespread theme is to carry folks collectively. This itself features a vary of initiatives, from rail, highway and maritime hyperlinks to subsea cables carrying knowledge between our areas.  

This can also be a possibility to handle shared safety threats higher. We see comparable challenges within the Mediterranean Sea that we see within the Baltic and North Seas. Shadow fleet ships pose main safety dangers to each our areas. The EU must work nearer with the area to debate these subjects, together with through a brand new regional discussion board devoted to safety.  

In apply, this implies: extra cooperation, together with by the EU’s army and civilian missions within the area; sharing situational consciousness; and extra coordination on widespread safety threats.  

There can also be potential to work nearer collectively on catastrophe preparedness, together with on an AI early warning system and a brand new firefighting hub for the area.  

The Pact builds on present cooperation within the area. That is why we may even launch in November within the margins of our assembly with the Union for the Mediterranean.  

Loads has modified within the thirty years because the EU and the Mediterranean nations established a regional partnership. Today we undertake a blueprint to make our cooperation extra focussed on the longer term. 

Thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-278308  

Q&A. 

Q. There is a contest within the area of the Mediterranean area for the presence of different nations. I can point out Russia, China, however not solely that. So how do you see this improvement of the EU presence there can come into motion? 

Thank you in your query. It is true that the geopolitical competitors is admittedly ongoing in all of the areas. What Europe is bringing is a optimistic supply. We have a lot to supply to these nations, actually when it comes to equal partnership. We have an interest within the cooperation relating to vitality, relating to connectivity, relating to important uncooked supplies. Also, they’re within the prosperity of their nations and we are able to work hand in hand. I feel our proposal is rather more optimistic than that of the opposite geopolitical gamers, however we actually must work on that. I feel being credible and dependable associate, that is additionally what our companions truly look in our partnership. Thank you. 

Q. I’ve a query on Gaza. In relation with the Mediterranean Pact. High Representative do you see, or do you anticipate very quickly the European method shifting based on what is going on on in Gaza? Because, for instance, the American are organising an workplace for the civilization and reconstruction in Gaza, which can be seated in Israel. I’m asking you, if do you see {that a} want for the European Union- for this method to maneuver forward – to be extra sensible, extra fast, additionally to see how the European Union is confirming its main position in Gaza?   

I’ll reply to the query of Gaza. When President Trump got here up with the peace plan, then we took it piece by piece, how Europe can contribute to a number of factors. And principally the three areas: reconstruction, safety and governance. There are many points that have to be solved and the peace to be sustainable in Gaza, it wants robust worldwide backing, which additionally means European Union. So, we’re engaged on these completely different factors. We have two missions, EUBAM Rafah border crossing. We have EUPOL COPPS that can also be coaching the Palestinian police to actually get the entire of the safety in that area. We are discussing the governance of Gaza – the day after the place we have now clear enter. When it involves reconstruction, then we have now introduced a brand new donor platform for Palestine, additionally to be engaged in reconstruction. But these items are very a lot interrelated, as a result of with out safety, there is no such thing as a level of reconstruction both, as a result of then there can be broken once more, and with out the problems of the governance, the place additionally Europe has a really clear say: Hamas shouldn’t have any position. There must be a Palestinian possession of those territories, the method must be Palestinian owned, Palestinian-led. And as we have now at all times supported the two-state answer, it means additionally that there are two-states there to assist. These are the working traces that we’re taking and dealing on. hanged. The phrases ‘good governance, democracy, human rights’ are usually not anymore in your talking factors. We are seeing younger folks protesting in Morocco, asking not for stadium however for hospitals, for instance. And it’s a drawback of excellent governance. We are seeing a regime in Tunis, which is kind of harsh. So, I’m questioning what’s the place of those necessary points, at the very least previously – proper now, it’s extra stability and prosperity. 

Q. Apart from methodology, there’s something else that has modified. The phrases ‘good governance, democracy, human rights’ are usually not anymore in your talking factors. We are seeing younger folks protesting in Morocco, asking not for stadium however for hospitals, for instance. And it’s a drawback of excellent governance. We are seeing a regime in Tunis, which is kind of harsh. So, I’m questioning what’s the place of those necessary points, at the very least previously – proper now, it’s extra stability and prosperity.  Quick comply with up on the Russia query to the High Representative, if I’ll. It is obvious you’re a optimistic supply. But do you assume that the connection with Russia must be a pink line to set off a detrimental consequence, not simply carrot but additionally stick. 

Yes, on the query of relationship with Russia. We are elevating these points each time we meet with our counterparts, particularly particularly on the circumvention of sanctions, as a result of this conflict that is occurring, it’s also hurting the nations across the Mediterranean. So, we want a collective effort to actually cease this, which signifies that, you already know, wars finish when one get together runs out of cash. That’s why we have now the sanctions, and that is why we’re additionally engaged on the nations to not circumvent the sanctions. And in fact, we have now instruments in our toolbox, which is sticks in addition to the carrots, and we’re utilizing each. 

 Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-279097