HELSINKI (Chatnewstv.com) — European Council President António Costa on Monday stressed that Europe’s security and competitiveness must go hand in hand, after meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Helsinki.
“We have two clear priorities: security and competitiveness,” Costa told reporters.
“And both are closely interlinked, because without security, we cannot have a robust economy. And without a robust economy, it is very difficult to improve our common security.”
Costa highlighted Finland’s unique position, noting that the country shares a 1,300-kilometre border with Russia.
“The Russian threat is not only against Finland; it is a threat against all European countries,” he said. “Finnish defence is the first line of our own defence.”
The council president said Europe must treat defence as a collective responsibility, through solidarity and joint investment.
“It is not only about spending more, but also about spending better. And to spend better, we need to spend together,” Costa said, adding that defence would be a priority in the EU’s next long-term budget.
Turning to border management, Costa said cohesion efforts must address “the concrete realities in the different regions of Europe.”
On competitiveness, he urged the elimination of barriers in the single market and deeper financial integration.
“It is crucial to use climate change and defence as the two main drivers of our competitiveness,” Costa said, citing Mario Draghi’s recent report on the EU economy.
He added that Europe must remain ambitious on climate goals: “We cannot stop the clock on climate change, and for this reason we need to continue to be ambitious in our targets — to reduce our emissions and to reach the target of the Paris Agreement.”
Costa thanked Orpo for what he called Finland’s “active, creative and reliable” role in the European Union, saying the coming year will be demanding in both defence and economic policy.
