THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION
In the Spotlight
+++ EU Presidency +++
“A strong Europe in a world of challenges”
Croatia’s EU chairmanship – a historic moment for the country by Dr Gordon Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Zagreb
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roatia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a challenging and complex time for the EU, faced with numerous internal and external challenges such as terrorism, security, cyber and hybrid threats, migration, conflicts in our neighbourhood, disinformation, and the rise of populism. It is important that we adapt and build resilience to these. The best way to succeed is by working together. The EU Member States can best overcome the challenges of the 21st century through unity and strength. The further development of capabilities and instruments for common action is the only way to strengthen the Union’s leading role as a global actor and partner.
Plenkovic said, “a more agile, coherent and outward looking European Union”, fit to proactively tackle all the challenges ahead. During our Presidency, we plan to focus on the areas where we feel that the EU can deliver the most, fostering a sense of unity, consensus and convergence. We shall strive to give further incentives to proposals and initiatives contributing to uniform and sustainable economic growth, increasing in convergence and strengthening the competiveness of the EU, promoting connectivity and enhancing the security of our citizens. We shall also continue to advocate the active role of the EU on the global scene and in its neighbourhood, especially our closest one in south-eastern Europe.
The priorities of our EU presidency
The EU as a strong global actor
Strengthening multilateralism, implementing the United With the motto “A strong Europe in a world of challenges”, Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and there will be four overarching priorities to our programme: a promoting European values and interests remain the main Europe that develops, a Europe that connects, a Europe that points of reference for the Union’s external action. Its crediprotects and an influential Europe. bility in international relations is reflected in its responsible Within the framework of the fourth priority, “an influential Euapproach towards its own neighbourhood, to the east and rope”, Croatia’s presidency will concentrate its work on further south, as well as towards countries in south-eastern Europe. strengthening the EU as a united and strong global actor, partThe Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU will strive for ner and security provider with multilateralism and a rule based a continued credible and consistent enlargement policy, as an international order at its core. The EU is, to us, an actor that investment in the stability and security is influential in international relations of the European continent. This will also and a leader in promoting fundamental strengthen the EU’s leading role in the values and the projection of peace and neighbourhood. security. It is also a partner that assists Dr Gordon Grlić Radman The role of the EU Presidency is very others in addressing global challenges has been the Minister for Foreign and Eurodear to us, not only because it means and threats. pean Affairs of the Republic of Croatia since leading the Council’s work, but most mid-2019. He was born in 1958 and studied importantly because it also represents Emphasis on the EU’s surroundings agriculture economics, and later international the success of Croatia’s own European The emphasis will be on stability and relations, at the University of Zagreb where he path. As a country that has suffered security in the EU’s surroundings. obtained a PhD in 2007. Mr Radman started war and aggression, we have managed Here the work will focus on supporthis professional career in business in Switzerto recover, reform and develop to the ing stability, security, resilience and land (1984–1991). He then served in different point that we will take leadership of the reform efforts. In this regard, we shall embassies and became Ambassador of Croatia EU Council. This makes us particularly be working on advancing enlargement to Hungary in 2012 and in 2017 Ambassador proud. Being at the helm of the EU for as an investment in the security and to Germany. Since 2017, he has been the the first time will be an opportunity for stability of Europe and the resilience President of the Danube Commission seated Croatia to shape, jointly with our partof Western Balkan countries. During in Budapest. ners, as Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Croatia’s presidency, we will organise
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